A study group created by legislation in the 2025 General Assembly session and directed to examine the implications of moving some or all elections in Virginia to even-numbered years held its first two meetings on July 22 and July 24, respectively. The Joint Subcommittee to Study the Consolidation and Scheduling of General Elections will conduct a two-year study of the effects of consolidating state and/or local elections with the federal election cycle; the legislation directing the study charges the group with examining the effects on voter turnout and campaign costs, implications for campaign finance rules, and potential cost savings, among other elements, and requires recommendations to include specific proposals for how such consolidation would be accomplished, such as extending or shortening the terms of certain offices to coincide with a different election cycle, and any statutory and Constitutional changes that may be necessary. Meetings for 2025 and 2026 must be completed by the end of November each year, and an executive summary must be submitted each year before the beginning of the next General Assembly session. Chesterfield County Supervisor Jessica Schneider serves on the Joint Subcommittee.
The Joint Subcommittee began its work with a presentation from Brooks Braun, Senior Attorney in the Division of Legislative Services, who briefed members on the origins of Virginia’s “off-year” elections for the legislature and the executive branch, which have been held in odd-numbered years since the election of 1869, which was held at the direction of President Ulysses S. Grant as part of Virginia’s ratification of a new Constitution and readmission to the Union. A 1979 Commission to Study Consolidation of Times of General Elections considered moving to an even-year election cycle, but made no official recommendations. To transition to holding elections in even-numbered years, Virginia’s Constitution would have to be amended to allow for the terms of legislators and the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Constitutional officers to be extended or shortened. Several other statutory changes would be required, including a change to the county manager plan of government, and changes to local charters that stipulate those elections be held in odd-numbered years.
Mr. Braun presented a timeline illustrating the process of transitioning to the even-year cycle, assuming the necessary Constitutional amendments were passed by the legislature and ratified by the voters in 2028 and elected officials’ terms were shortened by one year; under this schedule, all offices (including Clerks of the Circuit Court, whose terms are ordinarily eight years) would be shifted to the new cycle by 2040. A key issue of concern for local governments raised during the discussion was the effect of moving to a biennial schedule for elections for localities that traditionally place bond referenda on the ballot annually.
Dr. Henry L. Chambers, Austin E. Owen Research Scholar and Professor of Law at the University of Richmond and Dr. Bob Holsworth, Managing Partner at DecideSmart, LLC, discussed a wide range of issues both philosophical and practical with the Joint Subcommittee, including the national interest in Virginia’s statewide elections under the current schedule and whether Virginia elections would be more or less nationalized if they were held concurrently with federal elections; whether such a change would benefit one party or the other; whether consolidating elections would promote voter turnout and a more representative electorate; whether consolidating elections would lead to federal laws and regulations for the conduct of federal elections overshadowing Virginia-specific laws; and whether consolidating elections would reduce or increase the influence of money in Virginia politics.
The Joint Subcommittee’s second meeting featured presentations by two campaign finance experts, who discussed the implications for fundraising and spending limits when federal elections are run concurrently with state races. Under the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (often referred to as the McCain-Feingold Act), certain activities are considered federal election activities, and subject to federal campaign finance limits (rather than state campaign finance laws), if, for example, they are conducted within a certain number of days of a federal election. As a result, campaign finance in states that hold federal and state elections at the same time is complex and requires careful accounting to ensure compliance with federal and state laws. Federal and state advertising disclosure rules and reporting requirements also differ. Subcommittee members discussed the benefits and drawbacks for candidates of coordinated campaigns for federal, state, and local offices, such as whether “down-ticket” candidates would benefit from the additional resources, and the degree to which campaign decisions could be increasingly vested with political parties.
The Joint Subcommittee’s next meetings are scheduled for August 20 and September 2.
VACo Contact: Katie Boyle