2026 Midterms State GuideVirginia
Hold on to your country ham and peanuts.
- PrimaryStatewideAug. 4This date has passed.
- Election DayGeneralNov. 3
Updated
Hi! It’s me, Shadrach. Apparently, I’m your civic guide today. If you’ve been complaining about how things are going (and I’ve heard you, the walls are thin), this guide will help you feel informed and able to vote in this year’s midterms. Now, hold on to your country ham and peanuts, and let’s get into it.
Virginia at a glance
Virginia votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for U.S. Senate, all 11 U.S. House seats and three statewide ballot measures.
- Election Day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Voter registration
- Oct. 23: Deadline to register to vote, update registration, and request a mailed ballot.
- Early voting
- Sept. 18 to Oct. 31: In-person early voting.
- U.S. Senate
- 3 candidates
- U.S. House
- 11 seats
- Statewide ballot measures
- 3
Your to-do list
0 of 3 doneImportant dates
- Aug. 4Primary This date has passed.
- Sept. 18 to Oct. 31In-person early voting.
- Oct. 23Deadline to register to vote, update registration, and request a mailed ballot.
- Oct. 24 to Nov. 3If you missed the deadline, you can still register and vote the same day with a provisional ballot.
- Nov. 3Election Day.
- Nov. 6Deadline for mailed absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive
What’s at stake
Commonwealth voters aren’t feelin’ too hot going into November. According to a 2026 Virginia Commonwealth University poll, nearly half of voters believe the state is headed in the wrong direction. 30% cite rising prices as the number one issue facing the state, followed by extremism or threats to democracy (12%), housing affordability (11%), government spending and taxes (8%), and quality of K-12 education (7%). The House elections are likely to draw national eyes with currently-Republican districts ranked as competitive and Democrats needing every seat they can get to flip Congress.
Who’s on your ballot
Tap a race to see the candidates.
- Get to know ’em
Bert MizusawaRepublican - Get to know ’em
Mark MoranIndependent
All U.S. House of Representatives seats are up for election every two years. Find your district here.
- Shadrach’s big picture
Virginia will elect 11 candidates to represent them in the U.S. House. Democrats are expected to hold six of those seats. The state attempted to redistrict and use a map that would have potentially given Democrats 10 of the 11 seats, but the courts struck that map down in May of 2026.
- Open seats
None
- Competitive districts
Two Virginia districts are considered competitive: VA-2 is a toss-up and likely to be closely-watched given how slim the House majority is, and VA-1 is ranked leaning (but not solidly) Republican. VA-3, VA-4, VA-8, VA-10, and VA-11 are all solidly Democratic, while VA-7 is likely Democratic, and the rest are ranked solidly Republican. VA-4 was guaranteed to Democrats because no Republican filed to run.
Statewide ballot measures
3 to read before you go. Tap one to open it.
The amendment would change the Virginia Constitution to establish the right to reproductive freedom. This would be defined as "the right to make and effectuate one's own decisions about all matters related to one's pregnancy." The state would be able to regulate abortion for women in the third trimester of pregnancy, but would not be able to prohibit abortions if the fetus/baby is not viable or a physician determines an abortion is necessary to protect the life, mental health, or physical health of the mother. This broadly matches Virginia’s current policy on abortion, but this amendment would cement it in the constitution, making it harder to change in the future.
Voting yessupports cementing Virginia’s abortion policy in the constitution, making it harder to change in the future.Voting noopposes this constitutional amendment, keeping the current policy but leaving it open to easier change in the future.The amendment would change the Virginia Constitution to 1) remove a provision that states marriage is between one man and one woman; 2) add a provision stating that "marriage is one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness"; and 3) prohibit the state from denying a marriage license to two adults based on their sex, gender, or race.
Voting yessupports removing the one-man-one-woman marriage provision and adding constitutional protections for marriage as a personal right, regardless of sex, gender, or race.Voting noopposes this constitutional amendment, leaving the existing one-man-one-woman marriage provision in the state constitutionThe amendment would change the Virginia Constitution to provide that persons convicted of a felony lose their right to vote only while incarcerated and that their political rights, including voting, are automatically restored upon release.
Voting yessupports automatically restoring voting and political rights the moment someone is released from incarceration, removing the governor's discretion over the process.Voting noopposes this amendment, keeping Virginia's current system, where a person's rights stay revoked after release until the sitting governor individually restores them.
Also on the ballot
Other races Virginia voters will decide.
- Special state legislative
- School boards
- Municipal government
- Local ballot measures
Whose job is it?
Ten things government does. Tap the office that does each one.
Whose job is it to…
1 of 10
Declare a state of emergency after a hurricane or flood?
Pass it on
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From the newsroom
How TPO has covered Virginia this cycle. Tap one to read it here.
The redistricting wars landed on the Supreme Court’s doorstep twice Monday. Virginia Democrats asked the Supremes to reinstate a voter-approved map their own Supreme Court struck down last week—costing four potential blue House pickups. The Court also cleared Alabama to use a map eliminating one of its two majority-Black/Democratic districts following the Court’s April decision narrowing the Voting Rights Act.
One story from that day’s newsletter.
Read the full day’s news- May 11Redistricting… again
- April 24Redistricting
A prayer for Virginia
God our Father, guide Virginians as they approach a contentious election with big issues on the ballot. Let them be led by neighbor love, casting their votes with humble conviction and holding the outcome with open hands.
Shield candidates from the temptation to win at any cost. May they lead with humility and remember that the people they seek to represent belong to You before they belong to any party. If they win, surround them with wise counsel and guide them toward decisions that serve their constituents. For those who lose, may they do so with dignity and a unifying spirit.
May Virginians be confronted with the ultimate impotence of politics in this election season, engaging for the welfare of the Commonwealth but only ever devoting themselves to You. Draw hearts to Yourself, the One who will soon make all things new.
Amen.