Ken Boddye is a community association insurance underwriter and marketer who resides in Woodbridge. Ken and his fiancée have lived in Westridge for over a year and have fallen in love with the area. He devotes his time to political activism, community organizing around issues of wealth inequality and social justice, and mentoring people of various grade levels on creative and collaborative writing. Ken is a member of the NAACP and works as an advocate to support our first responders and to combat homelessness and poverty in the community.

Ken was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he had to navigate the challenging social dynamic of being bi-racial in a city where hundreds of cultures and ethnicities intersect. He had his first experiences with the political process and community organizing during his time as a high school student in West Hollywood. His commitment to academics and hard work led to his acceptance at the prestigious Georgetown University, which led to his relocation to the East Coast. 

In spite of his family's economic situation Ken pushed forward, securing enough funding through scholarships, student loans, and part-time jobs to complete his post-secondary education. Ken graduated from Georgetown with a Bachelor's in Political Science with minors in English and Japanese. Throughout his college career, Ken kept engaged with politics by taking classes and getting involved with Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign. Following the completion of his undergraduate degree, Ken moved to New Mexico to work as a community organizer, fighting for health insurance reform, to ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care services. He demonstrated his organizing and leadership ability in this role, coordinating more than 50 volunteers throughout Albuquerque.

After his time in New Mexico, Ken re-entered the private sector and worked in Florida for six years. During his time there, he continued to stay engaged in politics by working with gubernatorial campaigns as well as President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. Ken then followed professional opportunities that allowed him to return to the Northern Virginia area. Recalling the time he had spent here during his college days, he wanted to set down roots in the Commonwealth because of its diversity, engaging communities, scenic natural areas, and rich history. Ken is proud to call the 51st House of Delegates district his home.

Ken Boddye cares deeply about the many challenges facing the citizens of the 51st District, relating to both Virginia natives and transplants. As Delegate, Ken will fight for issues important to his constituents and all Virginians.

On the Issues:

Less Time on the Road, More Time with Our Families

Through his personal experience and time organizing with individuals with economic or health challenges, Ken understands that not everyone has reliable access to a car, and that many rely on public transit to get to vital healthcare services as well as to work and school. He also understands that traffic congestion has been detrimental to our economy and keeps Virginians away from their

families. As delegate of the 51st District, Ken will work to expand funding and access to public transit, and will collaborate with organizations at the local, county and state levels to bring additional transit options to working families.

Ken is also committed to making existing transportation options more affordable, such as voucher programs for local employers and instituting a flat fee for the area's EZ-Pass lanes, to make the lanes more affordable for commuters.

An Economy which Works for All Virginians

Northern Virginia’s dependence on the jobs provided by Washington leads to traffic congestion and an over-dependence on the federal government working in an efficient manner. It also causes much of worker’s hard-earned wages to be spent outside of the Commonwealth. As Delegate, Ken will work to bring fulfilling, high-paying jobs closer to home and eliminate the need for hard-working Virginians to take multiple jobs or work 50 to 60 hours a week just to put food on the table.

Emphasizing robust farming is a boon to the economy and emphasizing Virginia’s green spaces brings economy-boosting tourism; Ken will be a champion for both. As a descendent of farmers from Nebraska, he sees the ability for farmers to practice their craft as just as important as office-bound professionals. He will advocate for legislation which cuts away the kinds of redundant and contradictory regulations that keep farmers from being as productive as possible.

Taking on Injustice and Keeping Our Streets Safe

Peace in our communities is a cornerstone of the pursuit of economic prosperity and happiness. Being from a city with a complex relationship between police officers and the diverse communities they serve, Ken understands that an underlying trust must be fostered and upheld. He will work to ensure that departments are given the necessary funding and tools to properly protect and serve while also forging bonds with community leaders.

Ken will also be a strong advocate for criminal justice reform. He will work with leaders in business and higher education to ensure that those who finish their sentences aren’t locked into a state where they cannot find a job or go back to school. As Delegate, Ken will also champion creation of a process for individuals to get their rights restored, and will work with his fellow delegates and the law enforcement community on criteria for such a process.

Ending the Corrupting Influence of Money in Politics

Virginia currently does not put any limit on the amount of money an individual or business may donate to a politician or politician’s committee; it relies chiefly on the disclosure of campaign contributions to prevent undue access to our state government. This is not the case, however, as many of our elected officials rely on contributions from large corporate donors to fund their

campaigns, and those donors expect favorable legislation in return. This dynamic creates a system where large-dollar donors have more influence over Richmond than working people and it leads our representatives to spend more time courting donors than actually representing their constituents. Ken does not accept contributions from large corporations and will push for legislation that will limit campaign contributions and reign in the influence of money in Virginia politics.

Current laws require campaigns to disclose who they receive funds from; however, getting this information in a clear and concise manner can be challenging to the general public. As Delegate, Ken will also work to make accessing a history of a politician’s donors easier so voters will be well informed when it comes to who their elected officials are representing.