Elections in Virginia
Elections in Virginia |
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Elections in Virginia are authorized under Article I of the Virginia State Constitution, sections 5–6, and Article V which establishes elections for the state-level officers, cabinet, and legislature. Article VII section 4 establishes the election of county-level officers. Elections are regulated under state statute 24.2-102. The Virginia State Board of Elections oversees the execution of elections under state law. In a 2020 study, Virginia was ranked as the 12th easiest state for citizens to vote in.[1]
Voters do not register by party in Virginia, and Virginia conducts "open primaries" where any voter may cast a ballot for either party. In general elections, the party affiliations of local candidates do not appear on the ballot. Candidates for federal, statewide, and General Assembly offices appear on the ballot with party designations.
In 2009, Governor Tim Kaine proposed to authorize no-excuse early voting in Virginia elections, noting that 26 other states allow it.[3] On January 26, 2009, the bill passed the Democratic-controlled Senate.[4] However, the Republican-controlled House of delegates killed the proposal.
Governor Kaine worked with a coalition of civic groups to work to restore the
Administration
The U.S. state of Virginia holds its state general elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (better known as Election Day) in every second odd-numbered years. As a result of this, general elections in Virginia systematically follow the quadrennial United States presidential election by one year.
During general elections in Virginia, elections are held for the statewide executive positions of
Virginia's governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general are elected at large. State senators and members of the House of Delegates are elected in single-member districts, and county-level officials are elected by county.
Virginia has 100 seats in its House of Delegates, and 40 seats in its Senate.
Balance of power
Virginia Government balance of power
Office | Party in Power | Assumed Control | Next Election |
---|---|---|---|
Governor | Republican (Youngkin) | January 15, 2022 (Youngkin) | November 4, 2025 |
Lieutenant governor | Republican (Sears) | January 15, 2022 (Sears) | November 4, 2025 |
Attorney general | Republican (Miyares) | January 15, 2022 (Miyares) | November 4, 2025 |
Virginia Senate | Democrat (21/40 seats) | January 2020 (21/40 seats) | November 2, 2027 |
Virginia House of Delegates | Democratic (51/100 seats) | January 2024 (51/100 seats) | November 4, 2025 |
History
Year | Democratic
|
Republican
|
---|---|---|
1953
|
54.8% 226,998 | 44.3% 183,328 |
1957
|
63.2% 326,921 | 36.4% 188,628 |
1961
|
63.9% 251,861 | 36.2% 142,567 |
1965
|
47.9% 296,526 | 37.7% 212,207 |
1969
|
45.4% 415,695 | 52.5% 480,869 |
1973
|
49.3% 510,103 | 50.7% 525,075 |
1977
|
43.3% 541,319 | 55.9% 699,302 |
1981
|
53.6% 760,357 | 46.4% 659,398 |
1985
|
55.2% 741,438 | 44.8% 601,652 |
1989
|
50.1% 897,139 | 49.8% 890,285 |
1993
|
40.9% 733,527 | 58.3% 1,045,319 |
1997
|
42.6% 738,971 | 55.8% 969,062 |
2001
|
52.2% 984,177 | 47.0% 887,234 |
2005
|
51.7% 1,025,942 | 46.0% 912,327 |
2009
|
41.3% 818,950 | 58.6% 1,163,651 |
2013
|
47.8% 1,069,789 | 45.2% 1,013,354 |
2017
|
53.9% 1,409,175 | 45.0% 1,175,731 |
2021 | 48.6% 1,600,116 | 50.6% 1,663,596 |
Year | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 1,962,430 | 44.00% | 2,413,568 | 54.11% | 84,526 | 1.89% |
2016 | 1,769,443 | 44.43% | 1,981,473 | 49.75% | 231,836 | 5.82% |
2012 | 1,822,522 | 47.28% | 1,971,820 | 51.16% | 60,147 | 1.56% |
2008 | 1,725,005 | 46.33% | 1,959,532 | 52.63% | 38,723 | 1.04% |
2004 | 1,716,959 | 53.68% | 1,454,742 | 45.48% | 26,666 | 0.83% |
2000 | 1,437,490 | 52.47% | 1,217,290 | 44.44% | 84,667 | 3.09% |
1996 | 1,138,350 | 47.10% | 1,091,060 | 45.15% | 187,232 | 7.75% |
1992 | 1,150,517 | 44.97% | 1,038,650 | 40.59% | 369,498 | 14.44% |
1988 | 1,309,162 | 59.74% | 859,799 | 39.23% | 22,648 | 1.03% |
1984 | 1,337,078 | 62.29% | 796,250 | 37.09% | 13,307 | 0.62% |
1980 | 989,609 | 53.03% | 752,174 | 40.31% | 124,249 | 6.66% |
1976 | 836,554 | 49.29% | 813,896 | 47.96% | 46,644 | 2.75% |
1972 | 988,493 | 67.84% | 438,887 | 30.12% | 29,639 | 2.03% |
1968 | 590,319 | 43.36% | 442,387 | 32.49% | 328,785 | 24.15% |
1964 | 481,334 | 46.18% | 558,038 | 53.54% | 2,895 | 0.28% |
1960 | 404,521 | 52.44% | 362,327 | 46.97% | 4,601 | 0.60% |
1956 | 386,459 | 55.37% | 267,760 | 38.36% | 43,759 | 6.27% |
1952 | 349,037 | 56.32% | 268,677 | 43.36% | 1,975 | 0.32% |
1948 | 172,070 | 41.04% | 200,786 | 47.89% | 46,400 | 11.07% |
1944 | 145,243 | 37.39% | 242,276 | 62.36% | 966 | 0.25% |
1940 | 109,363 | 31.55% | 235,961 | 68.08% | 1,283 | 0.37% |
1936 | 98,336 | 29.39% | 234,980 | 70.23% | 1,274 | 0.38% |
1932 | 89,637 | 30.09% | 203,979 | 68.46% | 4,326 | 1.45% |
1928 | 164,609 | 53.91% | 140,146 | 45.90% | 603 | 0.20% |
1924 | 73,312 | 32.79% | 139,716 | 62.48% | 10,574 | 4.73% |
1920 | 87,456 | 37.86% | 141,670 | 61.33% | 1,873 | 0.81% |
1916 | 49,356 | 32.05% | 102,824 | 66.77% | 1,812 | 1.18% |
1912 | 23,288 | 17.00% | 90,332 | 65.95% | 23,356 | 17.05% |
1908 | 52,572 | 38.36% | 82,946 | 60.52% | 1,547 | 1.13% |
1904 | 48,180 | 36.95% | 80,649 | 61.84% | 1,581 | 1.21% |
1900 | 115,769 | 43.82% | 146,079 | 55.29% | 2,360 | 0.89% |
1896 | 135,379 | 45.94% | 154,708 | 52.50% | 4,587 | 1.56% |
1892 | 113,098 | 38.70% | 164,136 | 56.17% | 15,004 | 5.13% |
1888 | 150,399 | 49.46% | 152,004 | 49.99% | 1,684 | 0.55% |
1884 | 139,356 | 48.90% | 145,491 | 51.05% | 130 | 0.05% |
1880 | 83,533 | 39.47% | 128,083 | 60.53% | 0 | 0.00% |
1876 | 95,518 | 40.42% | 140,770 | 59.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
1872 | 93,463 | 50.47% | 91,647 | 49.49% | 85 | 0.05% |
1860 | 1,887 | 1.13% | 16,198 | 9.71% | 148,806 | 89.16% |
1856 | 0 | 0.00% | 90,083 | 59.96% | 60,150 | 40.04% |
1852 | 58,732 | 44.29% | 73,872 | 55.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
1848 | 45,265 | 49.20% | 46,739 | 50.80% | 0 | 0.00% |
1844 | 44,860 | 46.95% | 50,679 | 53.05% | 0 | 0.00% |
1840 | 42,637 | 49.35% | 43,757 | 50.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
1836 | 23,384 | 43.35% | 30,556 | 56.64% | 5 | 0.01% |
After the
Elections resumed after 5 years as a U.S. Military District, and control was chaotic. In the late 1870s, a coalition of Conservative Democrats, Republicans, and African Americans was assembled and the Readjuster Party took power for about 10 years. After U.S. Senator William Mahone and the Readjuster Party lost control of Virginia politics around 1883, white Democrats regained the state legislature. They proceeded to use statute and a new constitution in 1901, with provisions such as a poll tax, residency requirements, and literacy test to disfranchise most African Americans and many poor whites. Their disfranchisement lasted until after the passage of civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s.
White Democrats created a one-party state, with a nearly unchallenged majority of state and most federal offices through the middle of the 20th century. The
President Lyndon Johnson's and national Democrats' support for civil rights turned many conservative whites in Virginia against the Democrats. However, many Virginians had been willing to support Republicans, at least at the national level, since the 1930s due to
Virginia voted for Republicans in nearly every presidential election from 1952 to 2004 except for the Democratic landslide in President Johnson's election in
Recent events
In 1989,
In the 1990s Virginia experienced some political realignment, electing conservative Republicans
After eight years of Republican governorships, in 2001, Mark Warner, a progressive businessman, won the governorship and confronted budget difficulties related to the recession by cutting money from all state departments. Virginia's executive branch is limited by the fact that governors are barred from serving consecutive terms, a constitutional provision that distinguishes Virginia from any other state. After decades of Democratic rule in the Virginia General Assembly, Republicans took control around the turn of the 21st century and promptly redistricted to protect their incumbents. In 2005 Tim Kaine, Warner's lieutenant governor, won the governor's office over Jerry Kilgore and "independent Republican" state senator Russ Potts.
In 2006,
Virginia voted for Democrat Barack Obama in 2008, after backing Republican candidates for the previous ten presidential elections.[13] Virginia may be considered a "swing state" for future presidential elections.[14] Its margin for Obama of 6.3% made it a close indicator of the national vote (a 7.2% Obama margin).
In the November 2009 general election Republican Bob McDonnell won the governorship by an 18% margin, while Republican lieutenant governor and Attorney General candidates Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli also won their respective races.[15] They led statewide gains by the Republican party winning five additional seats in the House of Delegates.[16] In the November 2010 federal elections, Republicans picked up three U.S. House seats previously held by Democrats, and proceeded to hold eight of Virginia's eleven seats, compared to three for Democrats. In the November 2018 federal elections, Democrats picked up three U.S. House seats previously held by Republicans, and proceeded to hold seven of Virginia's eleven seats, compared to four for Republicans. From 1977 until November 2013, Virginia had elected a governor of the opposite political party compared to the current President of the United States of the time.
List of elections and turnout
The following table lists all state and federal regular elections from 1976, along with the voter turnout.[17]
Year | Registered | Percentage change from previous year | Total voting | Turnout (% voting of total registered) | Voting absentee (included in total voting) | Elections |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House | |||||
2020 | 5,975,696 | 6.18% | 4,486,821 | 75.08% | 2,687,304 | Federal: President, Senator (II), House |
2019 | 5,628,035 | -1.0% | 2,383,646 | 42.4% | 144,360 | State: Senate, House |
2018 | 5,666,962 | 3.31% | 3,374,382 | 59.5% | 287,763 | Federal: Senator (I), House |
2017 | 5,489,530 | -0.73% | 2,612,309 | 47.6% | 182,256 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
2016 | 5,529,742 | 6.41% | 3,984,631 | 72.05% | 496,452 | Federal: President, House |
2015 | 5,196,436 | -1.60% | 1,509,864 | 29.1% | 62,605 | State: Senate, House |
2014 | 5,281,011 | 0.78% | 2,194,346 | 41.6% | 123,221 | Federal: Senator (II), House |
2013 | 5,240,286 | -3.5% | 2,253,418 | 43.0% | 121,359 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
2012 | 5,428,833 | 6.1% | 3,858,043 | 71.06% | 447,907 | Federal: President, Senator (I), House |
2011 | 5,116,929 | 1.68% | 1,463,761 | 28.61% | 59,519 | State: Senate, House |
2010 | 5,032,144 | 1.54% | 2,214,503 | 44.01% | 106,888 | Federal: House |
2009 | 4,955,750 | -1.57% | 2,000,812 | 40.4% | 88,182 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
2008 | 5,034,660 | 10.7% | 3,723,260 | 74.0% | 506,672 | Federal: President, Senator (II), House |
2007 | 4,549,864 | - 0.1% | 1,374,526 | 30.2% | 30,619 | State: Senate, House |
2006 | 4,554,683 | 2.3% | 2,398,589 | 52.7% | 116,629 | Federal: Senator (I), House |
2005 | 4,452,225 | - 1.5% | 2,000,052 | 44.92% | 75,982 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
2004 | 4,517,980 | 7.1% | 3,198,367 | 70.79% | 222,059 | Federal: President, House |
2003 | 4,217,227 | - 0.1% | 1,296,955 | 30.8% | 35,716 | State: Senate, House |
2002 | 4,219,957 | 2.7% | 1,331,915 | 31.56% | 44,493 | Federal: Senator (II), House |
2001 | 4,109,127 | 0.9% | 1,905,511 | 46.4% | 52,344 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
2000 | 4,073,644 | 7.0% | 2,739,447 | 67.2% | 150,414 | Federal: President, Senator (I), House |
1999 | 3,808,754 | 2.3% | 1,373,527 | 36.1% | 10,686 | State: Senate, House |
1998 | 3,724,683 | 4.5% | 1,229,139 | 33.0% | 31,494 | Federal: House |
1997 | 3,565,697 | 7.3% | 1,764,476 | 49.5% | 47,571 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
1996 * | 3,322,740 | 9.4% | 2,416,642 | 72.7% | 116,606 | Federal: President, Senator (II), House |
1995 | 3,038,394 | 1.3% | 1,585,783 | 52.2% | 45,785 | State: Senate, House |
1994 | 3,000,560 | 0.9% | 2,078,106 | 69.3% | 81,636 | Federal: Senator (I), House |
1993 | 2,975,121 | -2.6% * | 1,817,777 | 61.1% | 53,904 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
1992 | 3,055,486 | 9.4% | 2,558,665 | 83.7% | 141,123 | Federal: President, House |
1991 | 2,791,747 | 2.1% | 1,371,940 | 49.1% | unreported | State: Senate, House |
1990 | 2,735,339 | -0.1% | 1,252,971 | 45.8% | 25,785 | Federal: House
|
1989 | 2,737,340 | -4.9% * | 1,821,242 | 66.5% | 54,177 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
1988 | 2,877,144 | 8.3% | 2,231,876 | 77.6% | 108,237 | Federal: President, Senator (I), House |
1987 | 2,657,412 | 1.8% | 1,571,110 | 59.1% | 38,505 | State: Senate, House |
1986 | 2,609,698 | 0.5% | 1,115,179 | 42.7% | 22,589 | Federal: House
|
1985 | 2,597,904 | -2.9% * | 1,377,966 | 53.0% | 32,943 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
1984 | 2,675,641 | 14.8% | 2,180,515 | 81.5% | 113,686 | Federal: House
|
1983 | 2,330,595 | 4.3% | 1,178,707 | 50.6% | unreported | State: Senate, House |
1982 | 2,234,011 | 0.9% | 1,454,628 | 65.1% | 32,340 | Federal: House State: House |
1981 | 2,214,926 | -4.1% * | 1,437,382 | 64.90% | 30,584 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
1980 | 2,309,181 | 12.6% | 1,881,648 | 81.49% | 84,811 | Federal: House
|
1979 | 2,050,499 | 1.2% | 1,059,158 | 51.65% | unreported | State: Senate, House |
1978 | 2,026,515 | 0.2% | 1,251,471 | 61.75% | 26,989 | Federal: House
|
1977 | 2,022,619 | -4.8% * | 1,267,208 | 62.7% | 29,970 | State: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House |
1976 | 2,123,849 | 1,716,182 | 80.8% | unreported | Federal: House
|
- The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 ("Motor Voter Act") was implemented in Virginia beginning in March 1996. This Act allowed voter registration forms to be submitted through Department of Motor Vehicles offices and other designated agencies, or to be submitted by mail. Also, prior to this, any Virginia voter who had not voted in four years was removed ("purged") from the electoral rolls.
Regional differences
Northern Virginia has favored Democratic candidates in recent elections. In the 2004 United States presidential election, John Kerry won Fairfax County, long a Republican stronghold, by 2.4% and generally fared better in the rest of Northern Virginia than Al Gore did in 2000. Despite this increase, however, he still lost every other county except Arlington County in Northern Virginia. In contrast to the changing voting trend in Northern Virginia, the majority of the rest of Virginia has been supportive of the Republican Party. Some portions of the state like college towns and the southeastern counties in the Black Belt Region have been more likely to vote Democratic.
In 2005 and 2006, Democrats Tim Kaine (running for governor) and Jim Webb (in a race for Senator) won nearly all jurisdictions within the Northern Virginia region. Alexandria resident Mark Warner had not won so many jurisdictions when winning the governorship in 2001. By contrast, Warner performed comparatively strongly in rural areas, particularly Southwest Virginia. His campaign stressed respect for rural cultural values (such as gun rights) and strategies for economic development.
In the state's largest city, Virginia Beach (pop. 450,000), most elected officials are Republicans. However, most elected officials in the state's most populous county, Fairfax County (pop. 1,250,000), are Democrats. The Republican Party's strongholds are in the counties of
See also
- Government of Virginia
- Politics of Virginia
- Virginia Department of Elections
- Political party strength in Virginia
- Women's suffrage in Virginia
References
- S2CID 225139517.
- ^ Va. Code § 24.2-613
- ^ http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/01/voting-rights-virginia-governor-pushes-for-no-excuse-early-voting.html Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved February 8, 2009.
- ^ Walker, Julian (January 26, 2009). "Virginia Senate approves no-excuse absentee voting". Virginia Pilot. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
- ^ Craig, Tim (June 17, 2008). "Groups Push to Restore Va. Felons' Voting Rights". Washington Post. p. B01. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
- ^ Constitution of Virginia, Article 4, specifies election of legislators
- ^ Constitution of Virginia, Article 5, specifies election of statewide executives
- ^ Constitution of Virginia, Article 7, specifies election of local officials
- ^ a b Leip, David. "General Election Results – Virginia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ "Allen's Listening Tour". YouTube. August 14, 2006. Retrieved August 15, 2006.
- ^ Va. Driver Fees Now Election Weapon, Tim Craig, The Washington Post, July 17, 2007.
- ^ "Kaine Hails 'Balance' in New Political Landscape". www.washingtonpost.com. November 8, 2007. Retrieved November 7, 2007.
- ^ Lewis, Bob (November 5, 2008). "Obama first Democrat to take Virginia in 44 years". Fox News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
- ^ Balz, Dan (October 12, 2007). "Painting America Purple". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2007.
- ^ Whiting, Tyler (November 4, 2009). "McDonnell leads GOP sweep of statewide races". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on November 7, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
- ^ Cain, Andrew (November 5, 2009). "GOP gains at least five Virginia House seats". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on November 8, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
- ^ Registration/Turnout Statistics Archived October 18, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Virginia Departement of Elections
- ^ "Virginia: Presidential County Results - Election Results 2008 - the New York Times". The New York Times.
- ^ "Virginia Election Results 2016: President Live Map by County, Real-Time Voting Updates". Politico.
External links
- Virginia at Ballotpedia
- Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association, "Virginia", Voting & Elections Toolkits
- "Virginia: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links", Vote.org, Oakland, CA
- "League of Women Voters of Virginia". (State affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)
- "State Elections Legislation Database", Ncsl.org, Washington, D.C.: National Conference of State Legislatures,
State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020