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Janet Howell
Janet Howell (Democratic Party) was a member of the Virginia State Senate, representing District 32. She assumed office in 1991. She left office on January 10, 2024.
Howell (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Virginia State Senate to represent District 32. She won in the general election on November 5, 2019.
Biography
Howell received a B.A. at Oberlin College and M.A. at the University of Pennsylvania.
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Howell was assigned to the following committees:
- Education and Health Committee
- Finance and Appropriations Committee, Co-Chair
- Local Government Committee
- Senate Privileges and Elections Committee
- Senate Rules Committee
2020-2021
Howell was assigned to the following committees:
- Education and Health Committee
- Finance and Appropriations Committee, Chair
- Local Government Committee
- Senate Privileges and Elections Committee
- Senate Rules Committee
2019-2020
Howell was assigned to the following committees:
- Education and Health Committee
- Senate Courts of Justice Committee
- Senate Privileges and Elections Committee
- Senate Finance Committee
- Senate Rules Committee
2016 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2016 legislative session, Howell served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2016 |
|---|
| • Courts of Justice |
| • Education and Health |
| • Finance |
| • Privileges and Elections |
2015 legislative session
In the 2015 legislative session, Howell served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Courts of Justice |
| • Education and Health |
| • Finance |
| • Privileges and Elections |
| • Rules |
2014 legislative session
In the 2014 legislative session, Howell served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2014 |
|---|
| • Courts of Justice |
| • Education and Health |
| • Finance |
| • Privileges and Elections |
| • Senate Rules |
2012-2013
In the 2012-2013 legislative session, Howell served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2012 |
|---|
| • Courts of Justice |
| • Education and Health |
| • Finance |
| • Privileges and Elections |
| • Senate Rules |
2010-2011
In the 2010-2011 legislative session, Howell served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2010 |
|---|
| • Privileges and Elections, Chair |
| • Courts of Justice |
| • Education and Health |
| • Finance |
| • Senate Rules |
Ethics committee
In January 2014, Howell assumed control of the Privileges and Elections Committee, which reviews ethics legislation. "We have to beef (ethics) up in Virginia," Howell said in an interview. "We have found out the hard way you just can’t trust people." Howell came under fire in 2013 when she warned the Northern Virginia Technology Council PAC against endorsing Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli.[1]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2023
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2023
Janet Howell did not file to run for re-election.
2019
See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2019
General election
General election for Virginia State Senate District 32
Incumbent Janet Howell defeated Arthur Purves in the general election for Virginia State Senate District 32 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Janet Howell (D) | 73.5 | 48,581 |
 | Arthur Purves (R)  | 26.3 | 17,376 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 127 | ||
| Total votes: 66,084 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2015
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2015
Elections for the Virginia State Senate took place in 2015. A primary election was held on June 9, 2015. The general election took place on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 26, 2015.[2] Incumbent Janet Howell was unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republican candidates filed for election. Howell was unchallenged in the general election.[3]
2011
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2011
On November 8, 2011, Howell won re-election to District 32 of the Virginia State Senate. She was unchallenged in the August 23 primary and defeated Patrick Forrest in the November 8 general election.[4]
| Virginia State Senate, District 32 General Election, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Janet Howell Incumbent |
60.3% | 26,026 | |
| Republican | Patrick Forrest | 39.7% | 17,122 | |
| Total Votes | 43,148 | |||
2007
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2007
On November 6, 2007, Howell won re-election to the 32nd District Seat in the Virginia State Senate.[5]
Howell raised $241,951 for her campaign.[6]
| Virginia State Senate, District 32 (2007) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Janet Howell (D)
|
28,089 | 97.17% | ||
| Write-in | 818 | 2.82% | ||
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Janet Howell did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.
2011
Howell's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
- Children and Families
- Excerpt: "Among her many accomplishments for children and families, Janet authored the legislation to set up the nation’s first online sexual predator registry. She headed the Commission to Prevent Family Violence that totally overhauled Virginia’s response to family violence."
- Quality Education
- Excerpt: "As a former public school teacher and PTA leader, Janet fights to improve Virginia's public schools and universities by reducing class size, hiring and retaining the best and brightest teachers, and securing funding for new facilities and programs."
- Equitable Taxes
- Excerpt: "Janet has succeeded in reducing taxes on cars, food, taxpayers 62 and older, over-the-counter medicines and nonprofit organizations."
- Transportation
- Excerpt: "Janet is fighting to balance our region's growth and its infrastructure. She has implemented ingenious methods of funding transportation at low cost to taxpayers."
- Job Creation
- Excerpt: "Janet works with business leaders to assure our region's economic vitality. She is called "the Technology Senator" and has received more awards from that industry than any other legislator."
- Personal Decisions
- Excerpt: "Janet believes government has no business in personal, family decisions. End-of-life decisions are best made by families and doctors without government interference. Janet strongly defends a woman's right to choose."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023
In 2023, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 11 to February 25.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental and conservation issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
- Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the Second Amendment.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the manufacturing sector.
2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 12 to March 12.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 13 to February 8.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 12. A special session was held from August 18 to November 9.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 9 through February 24.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 10 through March 10. Special sessions were held from April 11 to May 30 and from August 30 to October 30.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 11 through February 25.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 13 through March 11.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 14 to February 28, 2015.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 8 through March 10.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 9 to February 25.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the Virginia General Assembly was in regular session from January 11 to March 10.
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Howell was born in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 1944.
See also
2019 Elections
External links
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Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ WatchDog.org, "Bully for her: Sen. Howell is ready to oversee ethics reform," January 7, 2014
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "2015 November Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
- ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, "2015 General election candidates," accessed August 21, 2015
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "November 2011 General Election Official Results," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results," accessed May 28, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2007 Campaign contributions," accessed May 28, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Virginia State Senate District 32 1991-2024 |
Succeeded by Suhas Subramanyam (D) |
