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Virginia 2020 ballot measures
- Election date: Nov. 3
- Registration deadline(s): Oct. 15
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Recount laws
- Early voting starts: Sept. 18
- Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (postmarked); Nov. 6 (received)
- Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID
- Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Two statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in Virginia for the election on November 3, 2020.
On the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Question 1 | Redistricting | Creates a redistricting commission to draw congressional and state legislative districts | 
|
| LRCA | Question 2 | Taxes | Exempts one motor vehicle owned by a totally disabled veteran from property taxes |
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Summary of campaign contributions
- See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2020
The following chart illustrates how much support and opposition committees received in campaign contributions for each measure on the ballot:
Getting measures on the ballot
Citizens
In Virginia, citizens do not have the power of statewide initiatives or referendums.
Legislature
The Virginia State Legislature can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments, to the ballot. The Virginia Constitution requires a simple majority vote (50%+1) in each legislative chamber during two successive legislative sessions to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 51 votes in the Virginia House of Delegates and 21 votes in the Virginia State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Context of 2019 elections
- See also: Virginia elections, 2019
In 2020, Democrats controlled both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly, as well as the governor's office, making Virginia a Democratic trifecta. Prior to 2020, Virginia was a divided government.
At the general election on November 5, 2019, Democrats took control of both the House of Delegates and Senate for the first time since 1995. In the House, their seats increased from 48 to 55 (of 100). In the Senate, their seats increased from 19 to 21 (of 40).
Changes in the partisan makeup of the state government could have had an impact on the prospects of legislative referrals making the ballot. Republicans controlled the legislature during the 2019 legislative session. Democrats controlled the legislature during the 2020 legislative session. Amendments require approval during two legislative sessions. In 2019, legislators approved three constitutional amendments:
- Redistricting Commission Amendment
- Adjusting District Boundaries Amendment
- Motor Vehicle Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Amendment
Historical facts
- See also: List of Virginia ballot measures
Between 1996 and 2018, the following occurred:
- A total of 31 measures appeared on statewide ballots.
- An average of 2.6 measures appeared on even-year ballots.
- The number of measures appearing on statewide ballots ranged from zero to five.
- Voters approved 87.1 percent (27 of 31) of statewide ballot measures.
- Voters rejected 12.9 percent (4 of 31) of statewide ballot measures.
| Legislatively referred constitutional amendments, 1996-2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Approved | Percent approved | Defeated | Percent defeated | Average | Median | Minimum | Maximum | |
| 31 | 27 | 87.1% | 4 | 12.9% | 2.6 | 2.0 | 0 | 5 | |
Local ballot measures
In 2020, Ballotpedia covered local measures that appeared on the ballot for voters within the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. and a selection of notable police-related and election-related measures outside of the top 100 largest cities. Ballotpedia also covered all local measures in California and all statewide ballot measures. Click here to see the scope of Ballotpedia local ballot measure coverage by year.
Click here for more information about local ballot measures on the November 2020 ballot in Virginia.
Not on the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Adjusting District Boundaries Amendment | Redistricting | Legislature to make technical adjustments to district boundaries | 
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See also
External links
Footnotes
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