Virginia elections: How to vote and what to expect
ARLINGTON, Va. - On Tuesday, November 7, Republicans and Democrats in Virginia will be vying for control of the Commonwealth.
All 40 state Senate seats and 100 state House seats will be on the ballot Tuesday, due to redistricting in Virginia.
Who is on the ballot in Virginia?
Some early voters in Virginia expressed confusion over who was on their ballot, with new districts meaning different representatives than in previous years for some voters.
While some municipalities sent out sample ballots, it’s a good idea to look up your District ahead of time and see who the candidates are.
Local election office websites also often have sample ballots, including in Fairfax County and Loudoun County.
Where do I vote in Virginia?
Look up your polling place on Virginia's Polling Place Lookup tool. Your voting location may have changed after Virginia redrew districts in 2020.
Polls open at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, and will be open until 7 p.m.
Virginia Elections: Control of state legislature up for grabs
Republicans hope to gain full control of the state legislature and clear a path for Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to enact his proposals on key policy priorities. Democrats seek to maintain control of at least one chamber and possibly flip the other to continue to serve as a check against Youngkin’s agenda. FOX 5’s Bob Barnard has a preview.
What’s at stake in this election?
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is not on the ballot this election, but his proposals on abortion, education, taxes and other key policy priorities are top of mind for both parties.
Republicans hope to gain full control of the state legislature and clear a path for the governor to enact his proposals on abortion, education, taxes and other key policy priorities. Democrats seek to maintain control of at least one chamber and possibly flip the other to continue to serve as a check against Youngkin’s agenda.
Abortion policy is top of mind, with Virginia being the only Southern state that has not enacted new restrictions on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Earlier this year, Youngkin attempted to push for a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. The measure was blocked by the Democratic majority in the state Senate.
What races should I keep an eye on?
The balance of power in Virginia will most likely be determined by a handful of competitive districts in northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., central Virginia near Richmond and southeast Virginia in the Hampton Roads area.
In Fredericksburg, Democrat Joel Griffin and Republican Tara Durant are competing for the open seat in District 27.
In northern Virginia, Democrat Russet Perry and Republican Juan Pablo Segura face off in District 31, an open seat covering parts of Loudoun and Fauquier counties in the outer Washington suburbs.
In the state House, incumbent Republican state Sens. Kim Taylor in District 82 in Petersburg and Karen Greenhalgh in District 97 in Virginia Beach face strong Democratic challenges.
There are also competitive races in three open seats: District 21 in northern Virginia, District 57 northwest of Richmond and District 65 in Fredericksburg. All five seats are in districts that went for Biden in 2020 and Youngkin in 2021.
Other notable contests Tuesday are a ballot measure in Richmond authorizing a casino and the race for commonwealth’s attorney in Loudoun County.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.