Virginia election preview, 2024
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Last updated: Sept. 27, 2024
Thousands of general elections are taking place across the United States on Nov. 5, 2024. Those elections include offices at the federal, state, and local levels. This is one of 50 pages in which Ballotpedia previews the elections happening in each state as part of the Daily Brew’s 50 states in 25 days series.
This page provides an overview of all elections happening in Virginia within our coverage scope on Nov. 5, 2024. Those elections include office for 11 U.S. Representatives and one U.S. Senator. Additionally, there is one statewide ballot measure on the ballot in Virginia. This page also includes more information about election day in Virginia, including:
- How to vote in Virginia
- The elected offices that Virginia voters can expect to see on their ballots
- The races in Virginia that Ballotpedia is covering as battlegrounds
- The ballot measures that voters in Virginia will decide on
- Ballotpedia's Sample Ballot Lookup Tool
- The partisan balance of Virginia's congressional delegation and state government
- Past presidential election results in Virginia
- The candidates who are on the ballot in Virginia
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Virginia
What's on the ballot?
2024 elections
- See also: Virginia elections, 2024
Virginia voters will elect one U.S. Senator and 11 U.S. Representatives at the federal level. Two U.S. House districts are open because two incumbents did not run for re-election.
There are no state executive offices up for election.
No state legislative elections are being held.
School board elections will be held in four cities in Virginia:
- Chesapeake Public Schools: Four of nine seats are up for election.
- Norfolk Public Schools: Three of seven seats are up for election.
- Richmond City Public Schools: All nine seats are up for election.
- Virginia Beach Public Schools: Six of 11 seats are up for election.
These are among the 475 districts included in Ballotpedia's coverage of school board elections. This includes all school districts in the 100 largest cities by population and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment.
Municipal elections will be held in four cities in Virginia:
- Chesapeake, Virginia is holding mayor and city council elections.
- Norfolk, Virginia is holding mayor and city council elections.
- Richmond, Virginia is holding mayor and city council elections.
- Virginia Beach, Virginia is holding mayor and city council elections, and a special election for sheriff.
Below is a list of Virginia elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2024. Click the links to learn more about each type:
| Virginia elections, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office | Elections? | More information |
| U.S. Senate | ✓ | Click here |
| U.S. House | ✓ | Click here |
| Congress special election | — | — |
| Governor | — | — |
| Other state executive | — | — |
| State Senate | — | — |
| State House | — | — |
| Special state legislative | ✓ | Click here |
| State Supreme Court | — | — |
| Intermediate appellate courts | — | — |
| School boards | ✓ | Click here |
| Municipal government | ✓ | Click here |
| Recalls | — | — |
| Ballot measures | ✓ | Click here |
| Local ballot measures | ✓ | Click here |
Legend: ✓ election(s) / — no elections
Subject to Ballotpedia's scope
Your ballot
- See also: Sample Ballot Lookup
Noteworthy elections
As of Sept. 26, 2024, Ballotpedia has identified three elections as battleground races. Those are the races that we expect to have a meaningful effect on the balance of power in governments or to be particularly competitive or compelling.
- United States Senate election in Virginia, 2024: Incumbent Tim Kaine (R), Hung Cao (R) are running. In 2018, Kaine's margin of victory was 16 percentage points. As of September 26, 2024, four major election forecasters differed in their ratings for the general election, with one rating it Likely Democratic and three rating it Solid Democratic.
- Virginia's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024: Incumbent Jennifer Kiggans (R), Missy Cotter Smasal (D) and Robert Reid (I) are running. Kiggans' previous margin of victory was 3.4% percentage points. As of September 26, 2024, four major election forecasters differed in their ratings for the general election, with one rating it Tilt Republican and three rating it Likely Republican.
- Virginia's 7th Congressional District election, 2024: Eugene Vindman (D) and Derrick Anderson (R) are running. Incumbent, Abigail Spanberger did not seek re-election and is running for Governor of Virginia. As of September 26, 2024, four major election forecasters differed in their ratings for the general election, with two rating it Lean Democratic, one rating it Likely Democratic, and one rating it Toss-Up.
Ballot measures
- See also: Virginia 2024 ballot measures
There is one statewide ballot measure on the ballot in Virginia.
| Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property Tax Exemption for Veterans and Surviving Spouses Amendment | Amend language in the Virginia Constitution regarding property tax exemptions for veterans and surviving spouses to say died in the line of duty rather than killed in action |
|
4,035,483 (93%) |
302,203 (7%) |
34 ballot measures were on the ballot in Virginia from 1996 to 2022. Voters approved 29 measures and defeated five.
State analysis
Partisan balance
Democrats represent eight districts and Republicans represent five districts in Virginia's U.S. House delegation. In the U.S. House, Republicans have a 220-212 majority with three vacancies.
Both of Virginia's U.S. Senators—Mark Warner and Tim Kaine—are Democrats. Democrats have a majority in the U.S. Senate. There are 47 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and four independents. Three independents caucus with the Democratic Party, and one other counts towards the Democratic majority for committee purposes.
Democrats have a 21-19 majority with one vacancy in the state Senate and a 51-49 majority with no vacancies in the House of Delegates. Democrats won a majority in the House of Delegates in 2023, gaining control of the chamber for the first time since Republicans won a majority in 2021. Democrats have held a majority in the state Senate since winning control of the chamber in 2019.
Because the governor is a Republican, Virginia is one of 10 states with a divided government. It has held this status since 2021 when Glenn Youngkin (R) was elected. Virginia's attorney general and secretary of state are also Republicans. This makes Virginia one of 25 states with a Republican triplex. It has held this status since 2021, when a Republican triplex replaced the state's Democratic triplex.
Past presidential election results in Virginia
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
| County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
| Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
| Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
| New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
| Republican | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
| Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
| Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
| New Republican | D | D | R | ||||
Following the 2020 presidential election, 52.2% of Virginians lived in one of the state's 39 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 29.4% lived in one of 81 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Virginia was Solid Democratic, having voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2012, Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016, and Joe Biden (D) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Virginia following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.[1]
| Virginia county-level statistics, 2020 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Democratic | 39 | 52.2% | |||||
| Solid Republican | 81 | 29.4% | |||||
| New Democratic | 5 | 13.2% | |||||
| Battleground Democratic | 1 | 2.9% | |||||
| Trending Democratic | 1 | 1.2% | |||||
| Trending Republican | 6 | 1.1% | |||||
| Total voted Democratic | 46 | 69.5% | |||||
| Total voted Republican | 87 | 30.5% | |||||
List of candidates
| candidate | office | party | status |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Democratic | Won General | |
 | Republican | Lost General | |
 | Republican | Lost Primary | |
Republican | Lost Primary | ||
 | Republican | Lost Primary | |
Republican | Lost Primary | ||
 | Republican | Won General | |
 | Democratic | Lost Primary | |
Democratic | Lost General | ||
 | Republican | Won General | |
 | Democratic | Lost General | |
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Independent | Lost General | ||
 | Democratic | Won General | |
Republican | Lost General | ||
 | Democratic | Won General | |
 | Republican | Lost General | |
 | Republican | Won General | |
 | Republican | Lost Primary | |
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost General | ||
 | Republican | Won General | |
Democratic | Lost General | ||
 | Independent | Lost General | |
Democratic | Won General | ||
Republican | Lost General | ||
Republican | Lost Primary | ||
 | Republican | Lost Primary | |
Republican | Lost Primary | ||
Republican | Lost Primary | ||
Republican | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
 | Democratic | Lost Primary | |
 | Democratic | Won General | |
 | Republican | Lost General | |
Independent | Lost General | ||
Independent | Lost General | ||
 | Republican | Won General | |
Democratic | Lost General | ||
 | Democratic | Won General | |
 | Republican | Lost Primary | |
 | Republican | Lost Primary | |
 | Republican | Lost General | |
 | Republican | Lost Primary | |
 | Democratic | Lost Primary | |
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
 | Democratic | Lost Primary | |
 | Democratic | Lost Primary | |
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
 | Democratic | Lost Primary | |
Democratic | Lost Primary | ||
 | Democratic | Won General | |
Republican | Lost General | ||
Democratic | Lost Primary |
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
| candidate | office | party | status |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Virginia State Senate District 9 (Special election) | Republican | Won General |
 | Virginia State Senate District 9 (Special election) | Democratic | Lost General |
 | Virginia House of Delegates District 48 (Special election) | Republican | Won General |
 | Virginia House of Delegates District 48 (Special election) | Democratic | Lost General |
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
| candidate | office | party | status |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Virginia Beach Sheriff (Special election) | Republican | Won General |
Virginia Beach Sheriff (Special election) | Independent | Lost General | |
Virginia Beach Sheriff (Special election) | Democratic | Withdrew General | |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Virginia Beach City Council District 1 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Virginia Beach City Council District 1 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Virginia Beach City Council District 1 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Virginia Beach City Council District 8 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Virginia Beach City Council District 8 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Virginia Beach City Council District 8 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Virginia Beach City Council District 8 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Norfolk Public Schools, Ward 5 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 Shavonda Dixon Incumbent | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Virginia Beach City Public Schools, District 4 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Virginia Beach City Public Schools, District 4 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 Shannon Kendrick Incumbent | Virginia Beach City Public Schools, District 4 (Special election) | Nonpartisan | Lost General |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
 | Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Won General |
 | Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Won General |
Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 Robert Ike Incumbent | Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Lost General |
Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Lost General |
Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
 | Chesapeake City Council 3 seats | Nonpartisan | Lost General |
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
Nonpartisan | Won General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Lost General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
Nonpartisan | Lost General | ||
 | Nonpartisan | Won General | |
Nonpartisan | Lost General |
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ This analysis includes Virginia's 95 counties and 38 independent cities, which are treated as county-equivalents for census purposes.
