Politics in Virginia

The Virginia Senate in session, presided over by Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. Roll mouse over this image to see the Virginia House of Delegates, just before Speaker William Howell called the session to order. Photo taken during a Central Virginia Community College field trip, Feb. 25, 2009.
Also see the Politics photo gallery.

Introduction

The political system in the Commonwealth of Virginia is unique in various ways. It is the only one of the fifty states in which cities are legally independent of the counties in which they are situated. Consequently, court districts and election returns are all "segregated" between the urban centers and the adjacent suburban/rural areas. Virginia is one of three states that hold elections for state officers and legislatures in odd-numbered years; Mississippi and New Jersey are the other two. (Kentucky and Louisiana also elect their governors in odd-numbered years, but elect their legislatures in even-numbered years.) Having state elections separate from federal elections tends to reduce voter turnout in the former, and it tends to separate state issues from national issues. Likewise, the staggered election cycle also blurs the ideological distinction between parties. Finally, Virginia has a remarkable independent streak and pride in its cultural heritage, often going against the grain of national trends, and this often yields odd results in the political scene. This page provides a geographical and historical background to help understand politics in Virginia.

Summary of federal and state election trends

The adjacent set of bar graphs illustrates the transformation from Virginia from a one-party state, especially in terms of state-level political offices, into a competitive two-party state. The shift was very gradual, and was manifested at the Federal level (presidential and congressional races) before it reached the state and local level. From 1876 through 1948, the Democratic candidate won in every presidential election in Virginia except for 1928, when Herbert Hoover beat Smith. From 1952 through 2004, in contrast, the Republican candidate won in every such election except for 1964, when Lyndon Johnson beat Barry Goldwater. The results of the 2010 midterm elections suggest that the 2008 victory of Democrat Barack Obama in Virginia was only a temporary blip and not a long-term turning point. The Republicans gained at least three of the eleven seats in the House of Representatives, with the 11th District still too close to call. Assuming it stays in the Democratic column, that would mean eight House seats for the Republicans, and three for the Democrats.

NOTE: Because Virginia has a staggered election cycle, the years in the adjacent graphs refer to overlapping terms. State office terms begin in even-numbered years, so "1992" means the 1992-1993 term, resulting from the 1991 election. Federal office terms begin in odd-numbered years, so "1992" means the 1991-1992 term, resulting from the 1990 election.

Governors of Virginia since the onset of the "Byrd Organization"

• Harry F. Byrd (D) 1926-1930
• John Pollard (D) 1930-1934
• George Peery (D) 1934-1938
• James Price (D) 1938-1942
• Colgate Darden (D) 1942-1946
• Wiliam Tuck (D) 1946-1950
• John Battle (D) 1950-1954
• Thomas Stanley (D) 954-1958
• James Almond (D) 1958-1962
• Albertis Harrison (D) 1962-1966
• Mills Godwin (D) 1966-1970
• Linwood Holton (R) 1970-1974
• Mills Godwin (R) 1974-1978
• John Dalton (R) 1978-1982
• Charles Robb (D) 1982-1986
• Gerald Baliles (D) 1986-1990
• Douglas Wilder (D) 1990-1994
• George Allen (R) 1994-1998
• James Gilmore (R) 1998-2002
• Mark Warner (D) 2002-2006
• Tim Kaine (D) 2006-2010
• Bob McDonnell (R) 2010-