UpVote Virginia statement on Governor Youngkin’s Veto of SB1009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2025
Contact: Liz White
Hello@UpVoteVA.org
RICHMOND, VA – Today, UpVote Virginia released the following statement from Executive Director Liz White upon Governor Youngkin’s actions on Senate Bill 1009:
UpVote Virginia and the larger nonpartisan democracy reform movement are disappointed that Governor Glenn Youngkin has chosen to veto SB1009 – a minor technical bill that made strategic adjustments to the existing Ranked Choice Voting pilot program established with bipartisan support in 2020. This legislation was not an expansion of RCV, but rather established critical best practices requested by the Governor's own Department of Elections to improve administration of RCV elections already taking place across Virginia.
Make no mistake: despite the Governor's veto, Ranked Choice Voting remains the fastest-growing nonpartisan electoral reform in America, and the movement continues to gain traction throughout the Commonwealth.
To start, Virginia is the only state in America so far this year to have a legislative chamber approve a pro-RCV bill. And we didn't just do it once, but twice during the 2025 General Assembly session.
Further, localities across Virginia are moving forward with their own pilot programs, despite the Governor's actions. Arlington and Charlottesville have already taken advantage of this opportunity, and others are engaging in substantive discussions about following their lead – including Albemarle County and the cities of Fredericksburg, Fairfax, Falls Church, Newport News, and Richmond.
Finally, both political parties in Virginia have used RCV successfully in recent years. Perhaps the most notable use of RCV came at the 2021 statewide Republican convention to nominate Governor Youngkin alongside Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, and Attorney General Jason Miyares. On the other end of the partisan spectrum, Democratic primary voters in Arlington will now permanently use RCV to nominate their County Board candidates, and the County Board recently voted to continue its use in general elections as well.
We would like to thank the many supporters of this legislation, most notably the bill's chief patron, Senator Saddam Salim.
Said Senator Salim, “There are at least two localities in the 37th District that are actively considering the possibility of using Ranked Choice Voting in local elections moving forward. The original intent of this bill would have given them – and all Virginia municipalities – far more flexibility in how they would be able to use RCV in a way that makes sense for them, and it is my hope that the legislature will continue working to make this happen in 2026.”
Looking ahead, we will continue to work in a bipartisan way to ensure RCV is implemented successfully in even more Virginia localities, and will redouble our efforts to ensure that our 75th Governor recognizes what our 74th has not. While frustrating, this veto cannot stop the groundswell of support for an electoral system that gives voters more voice and choice.
UpVote Virginia is a registered 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating the voices of Virginia voters through nonpartisan education, advocacy, and grassroots engagement. As a democracy reform collective, UpVote Virginia will focus on multiple issues related to making our elections stronger and more equitable, including its first flagship issue: Ranked Choice Voting. Learn more at UpVoteVA.org.
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