By Aiden Kelsey
Randy Hamilton will continue to serve as Buena Vista’s sheriff, a post he’s held for nearly 30 years, according to unofficial election results.
Hamilton defeated challengers Chris Wheeler and Alan Buzzard in Tuesday’s election to retain a position he first took over in 1996. He’ll be in office until the next sheriff’s race in 2029.
Hamilton captured 1,079 votes, while Wheeler got 739 and Buzzard got 227, according to results posted on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
“It’s been a great honor that the people still got faith in me,” Hamilton said. “I’m pleased with it.”
The sheriff’s office oversees security in Buena Vista courtrooms, transports inmates and serves legal documents.
When Hamilton first became sheriff, he was a department of one. Now, he oversees three full-time and two part-time deputies.
As sheriff, Hamilton has helped start a community service program to help defendants lessen the cost of court fines and fees. He’s also worked to help community members who lost or never earned their drivers’ licenses.
He said Tuesday night that the department will continue to prioritize helping all citizens.
“We try to treat everybody like (they’re) somebody,” Hamilton said.
Both Wheeler and Buzzard said during the campaign that they’d like to increase security at the city’s municipal building, which houses government offices and the General District and Circuit courts. Both challengers also said they would like to have a closer relationship with Buena Vista schools.
But Hamilton said Wheeler and Buzzard don’t understand the limited resources his office has.
“You’ve got to have manpower to do that,” he said. “You’ve got to have funds to do that.”
Wheeler has 30 years of law enforcement experience. Buzzard has 20. Both are retired.
“I’d just like to congratulate the sheriff,” Buzzard said. “I think we had a great turnout.”
Wheeler declined to comment Tuesday night.
Buena Vista has a total population of about 6,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city had about 4,200 active registered voters as of Nov. 1, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
About 2,000 people cast their votes in the sheriff’s race. When Hamilton ran unopposed in 2021, the number was about 1,800, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.