Michael Sutphin

Michael Sutphin is running for re-election to the Blacksburg Town Council on a platform of investing in the community, expanding opportunities for everyone, and building a sustainable future. In 2011, he was first elected to the Town Council at the age of 27, when he became the youngest person to hold the position and the first openly gay elected official in Southwest Virginia. Michael was re-elected in 2015 and 2019 and has served as vice mayor and planning commissioner. He has a long history of service to the community and is on the Blacksburg Business Relations Committee and the New River Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. Michael also served on the board of directors of Equality Virginia, the state’s leading LGBTQ advocacy organization, for seven years, including a stint as board chair. He is a Virginia Tech graduate and a long-term Blacksburg resident.