Virginia lawmakers consider switching election schedule
Illustration by Lauryn Baynes.
Heciel Nieves Bonilla, Assistant News Editor
Virginians are asked to go to the polls every November — but that may change as lawmakers consider shifting when our state and local elections are held.
A General Assembly panel met Aug. 20 to consider moving all elections in Virginia to biannually on even years instead of annually, with speakers detailing the potential cost and administrative benefits of the potential shift.
Virginia currently operates all state and most local elections on odd years, in addition to congressional primaries, presidential primaries and elections on even years — meaning an election is run every November and primaries run most summers in the commonwealth.
Like other states, voter turnout in Virginia is far higher in presidential election years, and sometimes jumps during federal midterm years. The former consistently garnered over 70% of registered voters in recent decades, as opposed to the lower and highly variable share in other years — including a relatively high 59.5% during the 2018 midterms, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
Chair of the joint panel, state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, points to the higher federal turnout as a main positive of the proposal after studying the effects of moving to the federal even-year schedule.
“I think at the end of the day, the two things that matter most are the voters and how government works,” VanValkenburg said. “So, if moving to even-year elections helps voters, which I think it unambiguously does, and if it helps our government function better, it would make sense to move to even years.”
VanValkenberg estimates that any process to institute the change would take multiple years, as introduced legislation would need to be concurrent with a constitutional amendment — 2027 is the earliest that could happen.
VanValkenburg also expressed interest in changing the state budget cycle, in which governors propose a budget to be amended and approved by the legislature, allowing governors to implement two full budgets per term if it does not change with the election cycles. Changing both cycles would preserve an important legislative check on the executive, according to VanValkenburg.
John W. Nunnally, chair of Caroline County’s electoral board, spoke on behalf of the Virginia Electoral Board Association. While VEBA takes no official stance on legislation, he pointed out that towns and rural counties might face a loss of experienced election officials from an already low staff being reduced by budget reductions on odd years.
Nunnally agreed with Lynchburg Electoral Board chairman David Levy that the state should fund a mandated election deputy position, which would especially apply to jurisdictions with smaller populations. Such a protection would guarantee the retention of an “institutional knowledge holder,” according to Nunnally.
VCU political science professor Alex Keena agrees with VanValkenburg on the importance of increasing turnout and pointed out that the demographic character of odd-year elections has historically favored some voters over others.
“Whereas in the past, this electorate used to benefit southern Democrats, in the 21st century, it has generally favored the Republicans because older, wealthier and well-educated voters tend to be more conservative,” said Keena.
Keena is not convinced by the argument that odd-year elections focus on state issues better than the alternative, particularly when it comes to gubernatorial elections.
“The media tends to frame our elections as a referendum on the performance of the president, as a ‘bellwether’ and a preview of public sentiment before the midterm elections,” Keena said. “So if anything, holding our elections in odd-numbered years tends to make our elections all about national politics.”
