{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Mark Sickles | honorific_suffix = | image = Mark Sickles 2024 (cropped).jpg | caption = Sickles in 2024 | office = 17th Virginia Secretary of Finance | governor = Abigail Spanberger | term_start = January 17, 2026 | term_end = | preceded = Stephen E. Cummings | succeeded = | office1 = Member of the Virginia House of Delegates | constituency1 = 43rd district (2004–2024)<br>17th district (2024–2026) | term_start1 = January 14, 2004 | term_end1 = January 17, 2026 | preceded1 = Thomas M. Bolvin | succeeded1 = Garrett McGuire | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|2|18}} | birth_place = Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = Clemson University<br/>Georgia Institute of Technology | occupation = Public affairs | committees = Appropriations<br/>Health, Welfare and Institutions<br/>Privileges and Elections<br/>Rules | website = [http://www.marksickles.com www.marksickles.com] }} '''Mark D. Sickles''' (born February 18, 1957) is an American politician serving as the Delegate from the 17th District of the Virginia House of Delegates. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Sickles serves as the Chair of the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee and as a member in the Privileges and Elections and Rules Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings|url=https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0172|website=virginiageneralassembly.gov|access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref>
As an openly gay man, Sickles is the second LGBT person elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia General Assembly (after Adam Ebbin).
Sickles is one of six openly LGBT people serving in the Virginia General Assembly (alongside Adam Ebbin, Mark Levine, Dawn Adams, Rozia Henson and Danica Roem).
In 2026, Sickles resigned from the House to join Governor Abigail Spanberger's cabinet as the Secretary of Finance, triggering a special election.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wtop.com/virginia-election/2026/01/virginia-voter-guide-fairfax-co-holds-another-special-election-to-replace-longtime-state-delegate/|title=Virginia voter guide: Another special election ahead in Fairfax County to replace a longtime delegate|date=2026-01-09|access-date=2026-01-12}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Sickles was born in Arlington, Virginia. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management from Clemson University in 1981, a Master of Science in industrial management from Georgia Tech in 1984, and a second M.S. in Technology and Science Policy two years later.<ref name="hod2013">{{cite web | title = Bio for Mark D. Sickles | publisher = Virginia House of Delegates | url = http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/a7b082ef6ed01eac85256c0d00515644/c931717ed3c6885f85257b64004568ce?OpenDocument | access-date = 2013-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=50781 |title=Representative Mark D. Sickles (VA) |publisher=Project Vote Smart |access-date=2011-07-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520165029/http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=50781 |archive-date=2011-05-20 }}</ref>
Sickles is a fellow with the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.<ref name="wapo2003profile">{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2003/candidates/716/ | title=Mark D. Sickles (D) | newspaper = Washington Post | access-date=2011-07-13}}</ref>
==Legislative issues and bills== Tragedy struck in Fairfax County in 2018 when a nine-year-old boy was killed by a motorized classroom partition. In response, Sickles drafted legislation prohibiting anyone from operating a motorized partition when students are in a room at school unless the wall has a safety sensor installed with it. He named the bill the ''Wesley Charles Lipicky Act'' in honor of the victim. The bill passed the legislature and was signed into law in May 2019.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/One-Year-After-Tragedy-Northam-Signs-School-Partition-Safety-Legislation-509855571.html |title=One Year After Tragedy, Virginia Governor Signs School Partition Safety Legislation |last=Hogan |first=Susan |date=May 13, 2019 |work=NBC4 Washington |access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref>
Sickles was instrumental in the effort to advance the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in Virginia in early 2019. As the only two Democrats on the Subcommittee No. 1 of the House Privileges and Elections Committee, Mark Sickles and Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-) supported the effort make Virginia the 38th state to ratify the ERA. However, the Republicans on Subcommittee No. 1 all voted against the bills.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-house-panel-nixes-era-bills-but-the-fight-goes-on/2019/01/22/2800ee98-1e51-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html |title=Virginia House panel nixes ERA bills, in a major blow for feminist groups |last=Vozzella |first=Laura |date=January 22, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref>
Later, Sickles tried to bring one of the bills before the full committee, but the motion failed on another party-line vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/effort-to-revive-era-bill-fails-in-virginia/2019/01/25/cac45b5c-20cb-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html |title=Effort to revive ERA bill fails in Virginia |last=Vozzella |first=Laura |date=Jan 26, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref> Still, Sickles was commended for his efforts by Ratify, a leading organization working to pass the Equal Rights Amendment.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://twitter.com/ratifyWomen_org/status/1088815929880915970 |title=Ratify Women |work=Twitter |access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref>
==Personal life== In an op-ed for ''The Washington Post'', which noted the striking-down in the Eastern Virginia U.S. District Court of the constitutionality of the state's ban on same-sex marriage, Sickles publicly came out as gay. This made him the second openly LGBT member of the Virginia General Assembly, alongside Sen. Adam Ebbin, who was out before his election to the House in 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/virginia-del-mark-d-sickles-a-marriage-ruling-that-counts-me-in/2014/02/21/74668010-9a79-11e3-80ac-63a8ba7f7942_story.html|title =Virginia Del. Mark D. Sickles: A marriage ruling that counts me in|date = 21 February 2014|newspaper = The Washington Post|author = Mark D. Sickles}}</ref>
==Electoral history== In 2001, Sickles ran for the House and lost by 313 votes<ref name="sbe2001"/> to freshman Republican Tom Bolvin, who had defeated 11-term Democrat Gladys Keating two years earlier. Sickles had been a volunteer staffer for Keating previously.<ref name="hod2013"/><ref name="wapo2003profile"/>
Sickles defeated Bolvin in a 2003 rematch, 53.8%-46.1%.<ref name="sbe2003"/>
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Date !! Election !! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! % |- ! colspan="6" | Virginia House of Delegates, 43rd district |- ! rowspan="4" | Nov 6, 2001<ref name="sbe2001">{{cite web | title = General Election- November 6, 2001 | publisher = Virginia State Board of Elections | url = http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2001/nov2001/html/c_08_043.htm | access-date = 2013-06-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121229000219/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2001/nov2001/html/c_08_043.htm | archive-date = December 29, 2012 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> | rowspan="4" align="center" | General | '''Tom Bolvin''' | {{party shading/Republican}} | '''Republican''' | align="right" | '''9,550''' | align="right" | '''50.80''' |- | Mark D. Sickles | {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | align="right" | 9,237 | align="right" | 49.14 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 12 | align="right" | 0.06 |- | colspan="4" style="background:Beige" | ''Incumbent won; seat stayed Republican'' |- ! rowspan="4" | Nov 4, 2003<ref name="sbe2003">{{cite web | title = General Election- November 4, 2003 | publisher = Virginia State Board of Elections | url = http://www.sbe.state.va.us/ElectionResults/2003/Nov/H_08_043.htm | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130707080433/http://www.sbe.state.va.us/ElectionResults/2003/Nov/H_08_043.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2013-07-07 | access-date = 2013-06-04 }}</ref> | rowspan="4" align="center" | General | '''Mark Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''7,159''' | align="right" | '''53.79''' |- | Tom Bolvin | {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican | align="right" | 6,137 | align="right" | 46.12 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 12 | align="right" | 0.09 |- | colspan="4" style="background:Beige" | ''Incumbent lost; seat switched from Republican to Democratic'' |- ! rowspan="3" | Nov 8, 2005<ref name="sbe2005">{{cite web | title = General Election- November 8, 2005 | publisher = Virginia State Board of Elections | url = http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2005/nov2005/html/h_43.htm | access-date = 2013-06-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121228235442/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2005/nov2005/html/h_43.htm | archive-date = December 28, 2012 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''11,630''' | align="right" | '''63.82''' |- | Ronald Grignol | {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican | align="right" | 6,571 | align="right" | 36.06 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 23 | align="right" | 0.13 |- ! rowspan="2" | Nov 6, 2007<ref name="sbe2007">{{cite web|title=November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |url=https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2007/196E44FA-8B19-4240-9A44-737216DAA55D/Unofficial/8_p2_s.shtml |access-date=2013-06-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053531/https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2007/196E44FA-8B19-4240-9A44-737216DAA55D/Unofficial/8_p2_s.shtml |archive-date=March 4, 2016 }}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''9,822''' | align="right" | '''97.05''' |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 298 | align="right" | 2.94 |- ! rowspan="3" | Nov 3, 2009<ref name="sbe2009">{{cite web|title=November 2009 General Election Official Results |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |url=https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2009/37C2EDEB-FACB-44C1-AF70-05FB616DCD62/Official/8_p2_s.shtml |access-date=2013-06-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051828/https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2009/37C2EDEB-FACB-44C1-AF70-05FB616DCD62/Official/8_p2_s.shtml |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''10,363''' | align="right" | '''56.13''' |- | Tim D. Nank | {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican | align="right" | 8,081 | align="right" | 43.77 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 17 | align="right" | 0.09 |- ! rowspan="2" | Nov 8, 2011<ref name="sbe2011">{{cite web|title=November 2011 General Election Official Results |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |url=https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2011/EB178FD6-875D-4B0D-A295-900A0482F523/Official/8_p2_s.shtml |access-date=2013-06-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616054701/https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2011/EB178FD6-875D-4B0D-A295-900A0482F523/Official/8_p2_s.shtml |archive-date=2013-06-16 }}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''10,175''' | align="right" | '''95.80''' |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 446 | align="right" | 4.19 |- ! rowspan="3" | Nov 5, 2013<ref>{{Cite web|title=2013 November General|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/43974/|access-date=2022-10-14|website=historical.elections.virginia.gov}}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''14,799''' | align="right" | '''73.47''' |- | Gail Parker | {{party shading/Green}} | Independent Green | align="right" | 5,090 | align="right" | 25.27 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 252 | align="right" | 1.25 |- ! rowspan="4" | Nov 3, 2015<ref>{{Cite web|title=2015 November General|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/66234/|access-date=2022-10-14|website=historical.elections.virginia.gov}}</ref> | rowspan="4" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''7,696''' | align="right" | '''63.25''' |- | Anna Urman | {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican | align="right" | 4,058 | align="right" | 33.35 |- | Paul McIlvaine | {{party shading/Independent}} | Independent | align="right" | 398 | align="right" | 3.27 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 14 | align="right" | 0.12 |- ! rowspan="2" | Nov 7, 2017<ref>{{Cite web|title=2017 November General|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/87864/|access-date=2022-10-14|website=historical.elections.virginia.gov}}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''22,094''' | align="right" | '''93.34''' |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 1,576 | align="right" | 6.65 |- ! rowspan="3" |Nov 5, 2019<ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 November General|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/134841/|access-date=2022-10-14|website=historical.elections.virginia.gov}}</ref> | rowspan="3" |General |'''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''15,939''' | align="right" | '''77.8''' |- |Gail Parker | {{party shading/Independent}} | Independent | align="right" | 4,217 | align="right" | 20.59 |- | colspan="2" |Write Ins | align="right" | 330 | align="right" | 1.61 |- ! rowspan="3" | Nov 2, 2021<ref>{{Cite web|title=2021 November General|url=https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20November%20General/Site/GeneralAssembly.html|access-date=2021-11-16|website=results.elections.virginia.gov|archive-date=2022-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205014030/https://results.elections.virginia.gov/vaelections/2021%20November%20General/Site/GeneralAssembly.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''22,447''' | align="right" | '''70.02''' |- | Brenton Hammond | {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican | align="right" | 9,502 | align="right" | 29.07 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 40 | align="right" | 0.01 |- ! rowspan="2" | Nov 7, 2023<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mark Sickles|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Sickles|access-date=2024-03-13|website=Ballotpedia}}</ref> | rowspan="4" align="center" | General | '''Mark D. Sickles''' | {{party shading/Democratic}} | '''Democratic''' | align="right" | '''17,931''' | align="right" | '''92.2''' |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 1,521 | align="right" | 7.8 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{cite web | title = Mark Sickles | publisher = Virginia Public Access Project | url = http://www.vpap.org/candidates/profile/home/399}} (campaign finance) *{{cite web | title = Delegate Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria) | publisher = Richmond Sunlight | url = http://www.richmondsunlight.com/legislator/mdsickles/}} *{{cite web|title=Election Results |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |url=http://sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429112846/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults.html |archive-date=2013-04-29 }} *{{cite news |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Sickles |title=Mark Sickles election results |work=Ballotpedia |access-date=October 31, 2019}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110520165029/http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=50781 Project Vote Smart - Representative Mark D. Sickles (VA)] profile *''Follow the Money'' - Mark D. Sickles **[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=77388 2005] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=19490 2003] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=4696 2001] campaign contributions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sickles, Mark D.}} Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:State cabinet secretaries of Virginia Category:Democratic Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates Category:Clemson University alumni Category:Georgia Tech alumni Category:Politicians from Fairfax County, Virginia Category:Politicians from Arlington County, Virginia Category:LGBTQ state legislators in Virginia Category:American gay politicians Category:21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people