SB 176 (VanValkenburg)

This bill makes adjustments to the existing pilot program established in 2020 that allows localities to adopt ranked choice voting for city council and board of supervisor elections.

This bill:

• Expands the scope of the existing law to include Town Councils.

• Provides a “kill switch” in the event a locality is not technically able to conduct an RCV election.

• Clarifies the scope of the existing law.

• Codifies best practices for ranked choice voting election administration.

• Directs ELECT to develop certification process for election technology beyond voting machines.

• Makes permanent the existing pilot program.

Track progress: watch this space

HB630

This bill makes adjustments to the existing pilot program established in 2020 that allows localities to adopt ranked choice voting for city council and board of supervisor elections.

This bill:

• Expands the scope of the existing law to include Town Councils.

• Provides a “kill switch” in the event a locality is not technically able to conduct an RCV election.

• Clarifies the scope of the existing law.

• Codifies best practices for ranked choice voting election administration.

• Directs ELECT to develop certification process for election technology beyond voting machines.

• Makes permanent the existing pilot program.

Track progress: watch this space

HB 965 (Price)

Presidential electors; National Popular Vote Compact. Enters Virginia into an interstate compact known as the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. Article II of the Constitution of the United States gives the states exclusive and plenary authority to decide the manner of awarding their electoral votes. Under the compact, Virginia agrees to award its electoral votes to the presidential ticket that receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The compact goes into effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes have joined the compact. A state may withdraw from the compact; however, a withdrawal occurring within six months of the end of a President's term shall not become effective until a President or Vice President has qualified to serve the next term. The bill also provides for the manner of appointing electors when such agreement does and does not govern the appointment of electors.

SB 322 (Ebbin)

Presidential electors; National Popular Vote Compact. Enters Virginia into an interstate compact known as the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. Article II of the Constitution of the United States gives the states exclusive and plenary authority to decide the manner of awarding their electoral votes. Under the compact, Virginia agrees to award its electoral votes to the presidential ticket that receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The compact goes into effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes have joined the compact. A state may withdraw from the compact; however, a withdrawal occurring within six months of the end of a President's term shall not become effective until a President or Vice President has qualified to serve the next term. The bill also provides for the manner of appointing electors when such agreement does and does not govern the appointment of electors.

HJ2 - Bennett-Parker

Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.

1/14/26 - Passed House Privileges and Elections Committee (15Y-6N)

1/14/26 - Passed full House (65Y-33N)

1/14/26 - Passed Senate Privileges and Elections Committee (8Y-3N-2A)

Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.

1/14/26 - Passed Senate Privileges and Elections Committee (8Y-3N-3A)