Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The 92-0 vote would repeal restrictions to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program that had been placed in the state’s annual budget earlier this year.

Military families complained about the restrictions after the budget passed. Gov. Glenn Youngkin and legislative leaders have since been trying to appease those dismayed by the change.

The program’s popularity has exploded and become increasingly costly for Virginia’s state colleges. Over the past five years, enrollment in the program increased from 1,385 students to 6,107. The collective cost has increased from $12 million to $65 million.

To rein in those costs, the budget deal passed last month restricted eligibility to associate and undergraduate degrees, required participants to apply for other forms of financial aid, and tightened residency requirements.

Friday’s bill that passed the House eliminates those tighter restrictions. Meanwhile, a task force created by Youngkin is studying the issue and expected to recommend permanent changes to be taken up in next year’s legislative session to make the program financially viable.

The House bill now goes to the Senate, which is expected to take up the issue on Monday. Its future in the Senate is unclear. The chair of the Senate’s Finance Committee, Democrat L. Louise Lucas, has introduced legislation to delay implementation of the restrictions for a year and commits $45 million of surplus budget funds to cover the program’s cost — in addition to $20 million that had already been allocated — while a legislative commission studies the issue.

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On Friday, Youngkin urged the Senate to pass the House bill.

“If the Senate Democrat Leadership does not support a repeal of the language, they are holding our veterans, first responders, and their families, hostage. It is time to do the right thing,” Youngkin said in a written statement.

The program also provides benefits to families of first responders who are killed or seriously disabled while on the job.

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Facing an uproar from military families, Gov. Glenn Youngkin had asked lawmakers to tweak portions of a recently signed bill that would have prevented some from accessing the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program. The program waives tuition for survivors and dependents of veterans killed or seriously disabled while on active duty.

Senators met in a special session Tuesday but had nothing to consider on the benefits bill after Democratic Sen. Louise Lucas, the head of the Finance and Appropriations Committee, declined to advance any proposed legislation, The Virginian-Pilot reported.

Lucas said a group will meet June 28 to start gathering public comments, discuss the program and make recommendations to the full committee in September.

Virginia Jun 10

Virginia military families fight for education benefits

Virginia Jun 7

Virginia education benefit cuts for military family members also extend to first responders

Youngkin and lawmakers made changes to eligibility for the program in the two-year budget set to take effect on July 1. The program is facing rising costs and questions over who should be able to benefit.

But, after hearing from military families, the governor said he wants lawmakers to repeal the budget provisions and let a task force further study what changes should be made.

Youngkin said he was stunned by the Senate’s lack of action Tuesday “to even consider a simple bill, supported by a bipartisan majority of Senators.”

Military heroes, first responders, and their families “deserve so much better,” Youngkin said in a statement.

The Senate plans to meet again in a special session on Friday, while the Virginia House of Delegates still plans to meet in its special session June 28 despite the Senate not passing the bill, House Speaker Don Scott told the newspaper in a text message.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson is not seeking a third term, but three candidates are on Tuesday’s primary ballot. The primary winner will be the foregone winner because there isn’t a Republican candidate running.

Alexandria was the center of attention this past winter as the Washington Capitals and Wizards weighed moving from the District to the Potomac Yard neighborhood.

The deal ultimately died, but the future of that plot of land is one of the hottest issues in this year’s Democratic primary race for mayor between Council member and top fundraiser Alyia Gaskins, Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, and former real estate developer Steven Peterson.

“I am running on a nonpolitical base. I am not a political guru but I want to make sure that citizens have a voice,” Peterson said.

In a recent debate moderated by News4 Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey, the Potomac Yard site was a focal point, as were candidates’ previous positions on the arena deal.

Both Gaskins and Jackson were on board to start but eventually opposed the deal.

“I stayed at the table because I wanted to fight and get answers for each of you,” Gaskins said. “I believe that it was the least they could do to make sure that Richmond was responding to our questions.”

“The numbers just weren’t adding up, not for our city, not for our commonwealth, and it was too great a risk to take,” Jackson said.

But many people believe this plot of land is still the city’s key to growing the commercial tax base and easing the city’s heavy reliance on residential real estate tax revenue.

“We need smart, responsible development,” Peterson said. “The arena wasn’t that, but it’s gonna become a great place.”

“Thank goodness Continues Arcade is coming in the fall,” Jackson said. “Things like that, that generate money but also provide entertainment for our youth.”

Gaskins said it’s not just about catching the big fish.

“It is also about our small businesses, and we need an intentional strategy where we look at our permitting, we look at our practices, we look at how we can streamline and be more efficient to keep our businesses open and keep them staying open,” she said.

The Democratic primary election is next Tuesday and early in-person voting wraps up this Saturday.

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Primary season is here, and that means you have decisions to make about when and how to vote. We’ve got key details and deadlines for you as in-person voting begins in Virginia.

One of the biggest quirks you should be aware of: Virginia, like D.C., has two primary dates in 2024. Virginia’s presidential primary came and went on Super Tuesday in March, but the commonwealth’s primary for local and congressional races is coming up Tuesday, June 18.

Ways to vote in Virginia’s June 2024 primary:

• Early voting in person: Early voting began May 3 at local registrars’ offices. (Find yours here.) As of June 8, voter registration offices are now open for early voting through Saturday, June 15 at 5 p.m. (Find yours here.)

• Mail-in voting: If you wanted a ballot to be mailed to you, your request must have been received already. If you have your mail-in ballot already, you can return it via mail or place it in a drop box.

• Voting in person on Primary Day: Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18. Anyone in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote. Find your polling place here.

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Virginia mail-in voting info:

How can I get a mail-in ballot for Virginia in 2024?

The deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot has already passed for Virginia’s June primary.

What’s the deadline for casting a mail-in ballot for Virginia in 2024?

If you’re dropping it off:

• You can bring your ballot to your local general registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on primary day (Tuesday, June 18)
• You can place it in a drop box. For more information on drop off locations in your area, check the absentee instructions included in your absentee ballot mailing or see our list below.

If you want to mail your ballot:

• If you are returning your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked on or before primary day (Tuesday, June 18) and received by your general registrar’s office by noon on the third day following the election.
• Note that putting your ballot in a mailbox on primary day doesn’t necessarily mean it would be postmarked that day. Send it as soon as possible due to the chance for delays.

Where are the drop boxes for mail-in ballots for Virginia’s 2024 primary?

Drop-off information will be provided in your absentee ballot mailing, Virginia’s election officials say. Most jurisdictions allow you to submit your ballot to voting centers during early voting or election day.

Drop box locations and hours vary by jurisdiction. You can find information on your local elections authority website, or on our list below:

• Alexandria: “A ballot drop box is available outside the Office of Voter Registration & Elections, until 7pm on June 18, 2024. This drop box is under video surveillance and available 24 hours a day.”
• Arlington County: You can drop off your ballot at early voting locations while the site is open, any Arlington polling place on election day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 24-hour drop box locations listed on the website.
• Culpeper County: A ballot drop box will be available at 131 N. Main Street in Culpeper.
• Fairfax County: “Ballot drop-off boxes are available at all early voting locations and precincts when locations are open for voting. Voted ballots may be dropped off outside the Fairfax County Government Center at an attended drop box during business hours. An accessible, secure drop box is installed outside the building, permitting voters to drop off their ballots 24/7. Voted ballots may also be dropped off at any early voting site or at Suite 323 (Fairfax County Government Center) during hours of operation. On Election Day, ballots may be dropped off at any polling location while the polls are open.”
• Falls Church: “The Drop Box for by-mail ballots is in front of City Hall, 300 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA 22046”
• Fauquier County: A drop box will be available at the early voting location in the Office of the General Registrar in Warrenton (528 Waterloo Road, Suite 200, Warrenton). It’s open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for holidays.
• Fredericksburg: “There will be no After Hours Ballot Drop Box outside 601 Caroline Street for the June 18, 2024, Primary Election. A Ballot Drop Box will be available in the Office of Voter Registration and Elections on the 5th Floor of 601 Caroline Street.”
• Manassas: “A secure drop box for voters to drop off their ballots is located outside the registrar’s office at 9025 Center St. in Manassas. (Manassas Voter Registration and Elections Office)”
• Manassas Park: “A secure drop box for voters to drop off their ballots is located outside the registrar’s office at 9025 Center St. in Manassas. (Manassas Voter Registration and Elections Office)”
• Prince William County: “All early voting locations and Election Day polling places have drop boxes you can use.”
• Loudoun County: “A 24/7 drop box is located at the Office of Elections at 750 Miller Drive, Suite 150, Leesburg, VA 20175. Drop it off no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.”
• Spotsylvania County: The ballot drop box location at the Office of Elections (4708 Southpoint Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA 22407) is monitored by security cameras, officials said.
• Stafford County: “Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes are available during early voting hours, the Registrar’s office during normal business hours through June 17th and until 7:00 PM on June 18, 2024. A drop box will be available at all polling locations on June 18, 2024 from 6 AM-7 PM.”

Virginia primary day 2024 info:

When can I vote in-person in Virginia’s 2024 primary?

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18. Anyone in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote.

To vote in person on primary day, find your polling place here.

Does Virginia have same-day voter registration in 2024?

Yes, you may register in person during early voting or on primary day in Virginia. Same-day voter registration is relatively new in Virginia; it was introduced in the 2022 general election.

The deadline has passed to register to vote online using Virginia’s Citizen Portal, so you’ll need to go through the same-day registration process.

Same day registration is available:

• in person at the general registrar’s office for your jurisdiction during early voting
• at your satellite early voting site during early voting
• at your precinct’s polling place on primary day

Do I need ID to vote in Virginia?

Yes. Virginia requires all registered voters to show an ID to vote in person.

Acceptable forms of identification include:

• Virginia driver’s license (current or expired)
• U.S. military ID
• valid U.S. passport
• valid student ID issued by a public or private high school or institution of higher education in Virginia
• valid student ID with a photo, issued by a public or private institution of higher education in the U.S
• and several more options; see the full list here

If you get to your polling place and don’t have an acceptable ID, you can sign an ID confirmation statement or vote a provisional ballot. You will still need to submit a copy of your valid ID no later than Friday, June 21 at noon. If you have questions, you can contact or visit your nearest Virginia voter registration office or email info@elections.virginia.gov.

Who’s on the ballot for the Virginia 2024 primary?

Go here to see candidates for congressional and local elections.

Now you’ve got those answers, but you should also make sure you’re registered to vote and that all your details are correct.

Virginia voter registration info:

How can I register to vote in Virginia?

First, make sure you’re eligible to register to vote in Virginia (check on that here).

If you are, then you can either register in advance, register during early voting, or register to vote on primary day.

To register to vote in Virginia in advance:

• you can apply online here;
• or request a Virginia voter registration application from your local general registrar (find yours here);
• or register to vote at your local DMV office;
• or print out a voter registration form and submit it via mail, fax or email. According to that form: “Mailed applications must be postmarked at least 22 days before the next election in which you plan to vote. A qualified active-duty uniformed services member, spouse or dependent is NOT subject to the mailing deadline if by reason of active duty, you are normally absent from the locality in which you reside.”
• or, if you’re an overseas citizen, uniformed service voter, qualifying spouse or dependent, you may register online using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), available online here.

To register to vote in Virginia during early voting:

• During the early voting period (Friday, May 3 through Saturday, June 15), you are allowed to “register at the office of your general registrar or satellite location during the early voting period,” according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
• Bring a valid form of ID.
• More registration info is available here.

To register to vote in Virginia on primary day:

• Go to your assigned election day polling place on primary day (Tuesday, June 18)
• Bring a valid form of ID.
• More registration info is available here.

Virginia voter registration: How can I update my name or address?

According to the Virginia elections website, if you want to make a change to your address, name or other information, you may do so by:

• Using the online registration portal
• Completing an address change notification provided by the DMV
• By using the Voter Registration Application (Español) (Tiếng Việt) (한국인)
• Sending a letter to your General Registrar

How can I check if I’m already registered to vote in Virginia?

You can check to see if you’re registered to vote in Virginia online here.

Do I need to have a political party affiliation in Virginia ?

Virginia residents do not register by party. In a primary election, voters may request a ballot for either the Democratic primary or the Republican primary.

If the change goes through, Virginia will continue to allow sales of new gas-powered cars, with no set end date — unlike California and other states like Maryland, that have agreed to end all new gas car sales by 2035.

The move won’t have any immediate effects on Virginians purchasing new cars, but it is a reversal of previous Virginia policy, and does mean the state overall would take a slower path toward lowering carbon emissions and increasing electric vehicle sales.

Here’s what to know.

What emissions announcement did Youngkin make?

In response to a request from Republican Gov. Youngkin and Senate Republican Leader Ryan McDougle, Attorney General Jason Miyares’ opinion, issued Tuesday, states that Virginia isn’t required to comply with new mandates adopted by the California Air Resources Board.

Those mandates, known as the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, are set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Youngkin said in a statement on Wednesday that Virginians deserve to choose which vehicles fit their needs and called the idea that government should tell people what kind of car they can buy “fundamentally wrong.”

“Once again, Virginia is declaring independence –- this time from a misguided electric vehicle mandate imposed by unelected leaders nearly 3,000 miles away from the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said.

Virginia Democrats and environmental groups face off with Republicans

Youngkin’s move to abandon California’s emissions standards was quickly condemned by Democrats and environmental groups.

The EPA gives states a choice to follow either federal standards or California standards — but given that Virginia signed California emissions standards into its own law in 2021, some are calling the legality of the move into question.

“He seems to think he has more power than Vladimir Putin,” Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell said to the Associated Press via text message. “The governor is breaking the law and the AG is giving him cover.”

The Southern Environmental Law Center called the decision “illegal, shortsighted, and bad public policy.”

“The Clean Cars standards will help spur the transition to cleaner vehicles and bring significant health and environmental benefits to all Virginians. That is why the General Assembly adopted them,” Trip Pollard, a senior attorney with the center, said in a statement to the AP.

“The Governor tried to get the legislature to repeal the law and failed; he cannot just dictate a different outcome,” Pollard said.

Miyares said in a statement that the opinion from his office confirms that Virginians are no longer required to follow California’s standards.

“EV mandates like California’s are unworkable and out of touch with reality, and thankfully the law does not bind us to their regulations,” he said. “California does not control which cars Virginians buy and any thoughts that automobile manufacturers should face millions of dollars in civil penalties rather than allowing our citizens to choose their own vehicles is completely absurd.”

In a memo to the Department of Environmental Quality, the State Air Pollution Control Board and stakeholders, Natural and Historic Resources Secretary Travis A. Voyles said Wednesday that Virginia will default to federal standards at the end of the year.

He said Miyares’ opinion confirms that state law doesn’t require the State Air Pollution Control Board to adopt California’s new standards and the board has not acted under its discretionary authority to do so.

Why was Virginia following California emissions standards?

When the Clean Air Act was passed back in 1970, California — the most populated state in the country, with unique geography, weather and pollution issues — wanted to enforce stricter emissions standards than those set out by the federal government.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted California a waiver to do that. There are a few conditions, and California’s rules must be approved by the federal government. However, California has set its own emission standards since 1967, when the Federal Air Quality Act was enacted, and that continued after the Clean Air Act.

Then, to limit the number of different emissions standards that car manufacturers would need to keep in mind, the EPA gave other states a choice. States could either choose to follow the federal standards regulating vehicle emissions, or they could follow California’s stricter standards.

A number of states have chosen to follow California’s emissions standards, initially known as the Clean Cars I rule. Maryland began enforcing those standards for 2011 model cars, and agreed to continue following those standards even after they were updated in 2022 (more on that below).

Virginia more recently passed a law that pledged to have Virginia cars follow California emissions standards.

That “clean cars” law was initially adopted in 2021, when the state government was under full Democratic control.

It required that, starting in 2024, a certain percentage of new passenger vehicles sold by manufacturers be electric or hybrid electric.

In 2023, Virginia Senate Democrats defeated several Republican efforts to repeal the law. And the reason for those repeal attempts has to do with a decision made in California two years ago.

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news Dec 26, 2023

Expect EVs to get cheaper in 2024, experts say: ‘More incentives, more discounting'

What is the Advanced Clean Cars II rule?

When Virginia agreed to follow California emissions standards, California had less stringent requirements under the Clean Cars I rule. Then, in 2022, California’s Air Resources Board updated its emissions standards.

The new standards require “all new passenger cars, trucks and SUVs sold in California” to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

The decision by the California Air Resources Board came two years after Gov. Gavin Newsom first directed regulators to consider such a policy, in an effort to lower carbon emissions faster and fight climate change.

The program applies to manufacturers, not car dealers. Manufacturers who aren’t in compliance can buy credits from others who have surpassed the targeted number of electric vehicles sales.

Essentially, the Advanced Clean Cars II plan would create yearly quotas for zero-emission vehicle sales, and require more of those sales each year, starting in 2026, until 100% of new vehicles sold are zero emission or plug-in hybrid electric in 2035.

The exact quotas by year may vary state-by-state, so long as the 100% by 2035 goal is met.

Here’s how those quotas break down by year, according to California’s plan, which was adopted with the same quotas by Maryland:

% of new vehicles that must be zero-emissions or plug-in hybrid electric under the Advanced Clean Cars II rule

• 35% in 2026
• 43% in 2027
• 51% in 2028
• 59% in 2029
• 68% in 2030
• 76% in 2031
• 82% in 2032
• 88% in 2033
• 94% in 2034
• 100% in 2035

Used cars can still be entirely gas powered. The regulation only affects new vehicles sold.

___

Brumfield contributed to this report from Silver Spring, Maryland.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Attorney General Jason Miyares’ opinion was issued Tuesday.

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When is Virginia’s 2024 primary?

While Virginia’s presidential primary came and went on Super Tuesday, voters still have the opportunity to cast primary ballots for local races and U.S. House and Senate races.

The official primary day for those races in Virginia is Tuesday, June 18, although early voting and mail-in voting are also options for voters.

Virginia early voting info:

When is early voting for Virginia’s 2024 primary?

Early voting will be available from Friday, May 3, through Saturday, June 15, at 5 p.m. at your local registrar’s office. Find yours here.

Virginia mail-in voting info:

How can I get a mail-in ballot for Virginia in 2024?

You can request a mail-in ballot online at the Virginia Department of Elections’ Citizen Portal to apply to vote absentee by mail.

What’s the deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot for Virginia’s 2024 primary?

If you want to receive your ballot by mail, your request must be received by your local voter registration office by Friday, June 7, at 5 p.m.

General registrars generally begin to mail out absentee ballots 45 days prior to an election, according to Virginia’s elections portal.

What’s the deadline for casting a mail-in ballot for Virginia in 2024?

If you’re dropping it off:

• You can bring your ballot to your local general registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on primary day (Tuesday, June 18)
• You can place it in a drop box. For more information on drop off locations in your locality, see the absentee instructions included in your absentee ballot mailing or our list below.
• You can place your mail-in ballot in a ballot drop box. For deadlines and locations, check the instructions provided in your absentee ballot mailing.

If you want to mail your ballot:

• Your ballot must be postmarked on or before election day (June 18). It must arrive at the
• If you are returning your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked on or before primary day (Tuesday, June 18) and received by your general registrar’s office by noon on the third day following the election
• Note that putting your ballot in a mailbox on primary day doesn’t necessarily mean it would be postmarked that day. Send it as soon as possible due to the chance for delays

Where are the drop boxes for mail-in ballots for Virginia’s 2024 primary?

Drop-off information will be provided in your absentee ballot mailing, Virginia’s election officials say.

Most jurisdictions allow you to submit your ballot to voting centers during early voting or election day.

Drop box locations and hours vary by jurisdiction. You can find information on your local elections authority website:

• Alexandria: “A ballot drop box is available outside the Office of Voter Registration & Elections, until 7pm on June 18, 2024. This drop box is under video surveillance and available 24 hours a day.”
• Arlington County: You can drop off your ballot at early voting locations while the site is open, any Arlington polling place on election day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 24-hour drop box locations listed on the website.
• Culpeper County: A ballot drop box will be available at 131 N. Main Street, Culpeper, VA 22701.
• Fairfax County: “Ballot drop-off boxes are available at all early voting locations and precincts when locations are open for voting. Voted ballots may be dropped off outside the Fairfax County Government Center at an attended drop box during business hours. An accessible, secure drop box is installed outside the building, permitting voters to drop off their ballots 24/7. Voted ballots may also be dropped off at any early voting site or at Suite 323 (Fairfax County Government Center) during hours of operation. On Election Day, ballots may be dropped off at any polling location while the polls are open.”
• Falls Church: “The Drop Box for by-mail ballots is in front of City Hall, 300 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA 22046”
• Fauquier County: A drop box will be available at the early voting location in the Office of the General Registrar in Warrenton (528 Waterloo Road, Suite 200, Warrenton 20186). It’s open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for holidays.
• Fredericksburg: “There will be no After Hours Ballot Drop Box outside 601 Caroline Street for the June 18, 2024, Primary Election. A Ballot Drop Box will be available in the Office of Voter Registration and Elections on the 5th Floor of 601 Caroline Street.”
• Manassas: “A secure drop box for voters to drop off their ballots is located outside the registrar’s office at 9025 Center St. in Manassas. (Manassas Voter Registration and Elections Office)”
• Manassas Park: “A secure drop box for voters to drop off their ballots is located outside the registrar’s office at 9025 Center St. in Manassas. (Manassas Voter Registration and Elections Office)”
• Prince William County: “All early voting locations and Election Day polling places have drop boxes you can use.”
• Loudoun County: “A 24/7 drop box is located at the Office of Elections at 750 Miller Drive, Suite 150, Leesburg, VA 20175. Drop it off no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.”
• Spotsylvania County: The ballot drop box location at the Office of Elections (4708 Southpoint Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA 22407) is monitored by security cameras, officials said.
• Stafford County: “Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes are available during early voting hours, the Registrar’s office during normal business hours through June 17th and until 7:00 PM on June 18, 2024. A drop box will be available at all polling locations on June 18, 2024 from 6 AM-7 PM.”

Virginia primary day 2024 info:

When can I vote in-person in Virginia’s 2024 primary?

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18. Anyone in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote.

To vote in person on primary day, find your polling place here.

Does Virginia have same-day voter registration in 2024?

Yes, you may register in person during early voting or on primary day in Virginia. Same-day voter registration is relatively new in Virginia; it was introduced in the 2022 general election.

May 28 is the deadline to register to vote online using Virginia’s Citizen Portal. After that, you’ll need to go through the same-day registration process.

Same day registration is available:

• in person at the general registrar’s office for your jurisdiction during early voting
• at your satellite early voting site during early voting
• at your precicnt’s polling place on primary day

Do I need ID to vote in Virginia?

Yes. Virginia requires all registered voters to show an ID to vote in person.

Acceptable forms of identification include:

• Virginia driver’s license (current or expired)
• U.S. military ID
• valid U.S. passport
• valid student ID issued by a public or private high school or institution of higher education in Virginia
• valid student ID with a photo, issued by a public or private institution of higher education in the U.S
• and several more options; see the full list here

If you get to your polling place and don’t have an acceptable ID, you can sign an ID confirmation statement or vote a provisional ballot. You will still need to submit a copy of your valid ID no later than Friday, June 21 at noon. If you have questions, you can contact or visit your nearest Virginia voter registration office or email info@elections.virginia.gov.

Who’s on the ballot for the Virginia 2024 primary?

Go here to see candidates for congressional and local elections.

Now you’ve got those answers, but you should also make sure you’re registered to vote and that all your details are correct.

Virginia voter registration info:

How can I register to vote in Virginia ?

First, make sure you’re eligible to register to vote in Virginia (check on that here).

If you are, then you can either register in advance, register during early voting, or register to vote on primary day.

To register to vote in Virginia in advance:

• you can apply online here;
• or request a Virginia voter registration application from your local general registrar (find yours here);
• or register to vote at your local DMV office;
• or print out a voter registration form and submit it via mail, fax or email. According to that form: “Mailed applications must be postmarked at least 22 days before the next election in which you plan to vote. A
• qualified active-duty uniformed services member, spouse or dependent is NOT subject to the mailing deadline if by reason of active duty, you are normally absent from the locality in which you reside.”
• or, if you’re an overseas citizen, uniformed service voter, qualifying spouse or dependent, you may register online using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), available online here.

To register to vote in Virginia during early voting:

• During the early voting period (Friday, May 3 through Saturday, June 15), you are allowed to “register at the office of your general registrar or satellite location during the early voting period,” according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
• Bring a valid form of ID.
• More registration info is available here.

To register to vote in Virginia on primary day:

• Go to your assigned election day polling place on primary day (Tuesday, June 18)
• Bring a valid form of ID.
• More registration info is available here.

Virginia voter registration: How can I update my name or address?

According to the Virginia elections website, if you want to make a change to your address, name or other information, you may do so by:

• Using the online registration portal
• Completing an address change notification provided by the DMV
• By using the Voter Registration Application (Español) (Tiếng Việt) (한국인)
• Sending a letter to your General Registrar

Virginia voter registration: I think I’m already registered, but how can I check?

You can check to see if you’re registered to vote in Virginia online here.

Do I need to have a political party affiliation in Virginia ?

Virginia residents do not register by party. In a primary election, voters may request a ballot for either the Democratic primary or the Republican primary.

A former member of ex-Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s administration and a two-term mayor of the capital city, Stoney said he had wrestled with the decision since he and his wife welcomed their first child in March. While his campaign had sought to make the case in a memo just weeks ago that a Stoney-Spanberger primary would be competitive, he said Tuesday that “while there was a path to victory it was a narrow path.”

“After careful consideration with my family, I believe that the best way to ensure that all Virginia families do get the change they deserve is for our party to come together, avoid a costly and damaging primary and, for me to run instead for Lieutenant Governor,” Stoney said in a statement.

With the gubernatorial primary still more than a year away, there’s still time for another Democratic candidate to emerge. But Spanberger, a former CIA officer who launched her campaign in November, is seen by Democrats and Republicans alike as a formidable candidate, with strong name recognition, a record of winning tough races and a centrist identity in a state that’s tended to reward moderate candidates. Her bid could also be a history-making one: Virginia has never had a female governor.

Spanberger, who was first elected to Congress in 2018 as part of a wave of female candidates who helped Democrats retake the U.S. House that year, recently secured the nomination of Clean Virginia. The big-spending advocacy group founded by a wealthy investor to counter the influence of Dominion Energy at the state Capitol has given enormous sums to candidates it has backed in recent years and pledged an initial contribution of $250,000.

Her campaign said in a statement that Virginians were uniting behind her candidacy “because they know she has the experience to bring people together, get things done, and lead the Commonwealth forward.”

All three of Virginia’s statewide state government offices — governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general — are currently held by Republicans and will be on the ballot next year. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, like all Virginia governors, is prohibited from seeking a second consecutive term.

While no Republicans have formally announced statewide campaigns yet, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are seen as likely contenders in the gubernatorial race.

Rich Anderson, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, suggested Democrats were “prematurely” jumping into the 2025 races amid the current federal election cycle due to concerns about what he said would eventually be a strong GOP ticket.

Virginia Republicans ”look forward to building on our groundbreaking wins of 2021,” he said in a statement.

Stoney will join what’s shaping up to be a crowded race for lieutenant governor, a role that involves presiding over the state Senate and is often a stepping-stone to higher office.

Shortly after Stoney announced his decision in an early morning news release, Democratic state Sen. Aaron Rouse formally announced his own candidacy for lieutenant governor. Rouse, a retired NFL player and former Virginia Beach councilman, said he had secured the support of more than two dozen elected officials around the state, including the state Senate budget committee chairwoman, Sen. L. Louise Lucas, and Sen. Mamie Locke, the Senate Democratic caucus chair.

“I’ve built my career on winning in tough spots when it matters — whether it be under the glare of NFL lights or flipping the State Senate seat needed to ensure we blocked Republicans’ assaults on reproductive freedom and voting rights,” said Rouse, who had a hand in some of this year’s highest-profile legislation.

Dr. Babur Lateef, an eye physician and surgeon who serves as chairman of the Prince William County School Board, entered the race last month and other candidates from both parties are still expected to join.

Stoney, who launched his gubernatorial campaign in a video that highlighted his modest upbringing and the struggles he overcame to become the first in his family to graduate from high school and college, said he would use the lieutenant governor post to ensure every Virginia family gets the same “fair shot at success.”

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Lawmakers were meeting in Richmond for a one-day session to consider Youngkin’s vetoes and proposed amendments to legislation, including the budget. As recently as Tuesday afternoon, legislative leaders had indicated they were prepared to reject the substance of Youngkin’s proposed changes to the new two-year spending plan, a move that would have set up a likely budget veto, leaving lawmakers facing the looming prospect of a government shutdown if they failed to strike a deal by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.

A series of meetings between lawmakers and Youngkin helped both sides agree to a new approach: tossing aside the version of the budget that lawmakers passed in March and starting anew, with plans to meet for a vote on a still-to-be-hashed-out compromise version in a special session beginning May 13.

“That will put us on a path to have a budget that serves Virginia and does not put us in jeopardy between here and there,” Youngkin said.

Prior to Wednesday’s so-called reconvened session, Democratic lawmakers spent weeks publicly at odds with Youngkin over the budget that the Assembly sent him in a bipartisan vote on the final day of its regular session.

Youngkin embarked on a series of public events during which he blasted what he called the “backward budget,” criticizing lawmakers for including a sales tax expansion to digital products that he initially proposed at the start of the process in December but had paired with an income tax cut that Democrats rejected. The governor has said unequivocally that he won’t sign a budget that increases taxes.

Democrats criticized Youngkin for his tour but then launched one of their own to defend their budget plan, which would increase K-12 education spending and pay for teachers and other public workers.

With his budget amendments, the governor had proposed sticking with the tax policy status quo, which required him to also suggest spending cuts and other accounting maneuvers to account for the revenue that would be lost by eliminating the new digital sales tax.

Lawmakers in the House of Delegates used a procedural maneuver to vote down those amendments and then effectively scrap the current budget bill so that negotiators can start over.

House Speaker Don Scott told reporters the decision was made in the hopes of restarting talks in a more conciliatory manner.

“I think we’re in a better, more mature place regarding the budget now. And I think everybody understands where their roles and responsibilities are a little bit better,” he said.

After lawmakers dispatched the budget bill, they started to work through dozens of other bills Youngkin returned to them with suggested changes.

In one of the day’s most closely watched votes, lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected Youngkin’s proposed amendments to a heavily lobbied measure dealing with so-called skill games, gambling machines that proliferated in convenience stores and other small businesses around the state before lawmakers passed a ban in 2020.

This year’s legislation would legalize, regulate and tax the machines, though the changes Youngkin suggested would implement far stricter limits and a higher tax rate than the version the Assembly sent him. Convenience stores around the state staged demonstrations this week, briefly halting lottery ticket sales Monday and closing for an hour on Tuesday in an effort to draw attention to the issue and urge lawmakers to reject the governor’s amendments.

With Youngkin’s amendments stripped out, the measure now goes back as it passed to the governor, who can veto it or let it become law. A coalition that opposes the machines and includes the state’s casinos called on Youngkin to veto the bill, while a pro-skill games coalition noted the subject could be addressed further during the special session.

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Youngkin’s other amendments spurred mixed responses. Lawmakers — sometimes on a bipartisan vote — rejected some changes but also accepted many of them, including one that would add Petersburg to the list of eligible casino host cities. That means the bill as amended becomes law. Most new legislation takes effect July 1.

Lawmakers did not override any of Youngkin’s vetoes. Democrats in the House, whose narrow majority falls far short of the 2/3 needed for an override, spoke critically of a handful of vetoes but didn’t vote on any of them.

The Senate failed to secure the 2/3 vote needed to override the governor’s vetoes on 20 bills, but came close with some GOP support on one bill that would have allowed counties and cities to impose an additional local sales tax to be earmarked for construction or renovation of schools.

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The development did not come as a surprise. While Youngkin had not explicitly threatened to veto either set of bills, he told reporters he didn’t think the minimum wage bill was needed and had repeatedly said he was uninterested in setting up retail marijuana sales.

In 2021, Virginia became the first southern state in the U.S. to legalize marijuana, adopting a policy change that allowed adults age 21 and up to possess and cultivate the drug. But the state didn’t set up retail sales at the time and still hasn’t, due to shifts in partisan power and policy differences since then.

Advocates say the disconnect is allowing the illicit market to flourish, while opponents have safety health and safety concerns with further expanding access to the drug. In a statement, Youngkin said he shared those worries.

“States following this path have seen adverse effects on children’s and adolescent’s health and safety, increased gang activity and violent crime, significant deterioration in mental health, decreased road safety, and significant costs associated with retail marijuana that far exceed tax revenue. It also does not eliminate the illegal black-market sale of cannabis, nor guarantee product safety,” he said in a veto statement attached to the bills.

Currently in Virginia, home cultivation and adult sharing of the drug are legal. And patients who receive a written certification from a health care provider can purchase medical cannabis from a dispensary.

Under the bills, the state would have started taking applications on Sept. 1 for cultivating, testing, processing and selling the drug in preparation for the market to open May 1, 2025, with products taxed at a rate of up to 11.625%.

The legislation was supported by a range of industry interests and opposed by religious and socially conservative groups.

Virginia first took on legalization at a time when Democrats were in full control of state government. Elections later that year changed that, with Youngkin winning and Republicans taking control of the House of Delegates for two years, though Democrats are now back in full control of the statehouse.

While there has been some Republican legislative support since the 2021 session for setting up legal recreational sales, bills to do so failed in 2022 and 2023.

Minimum wage increase would ‘imperil market freedom,’ Youngkin said

As for the wage legislation, which would have increased the current $12-per-hour minimum wage to $13.50 on Jan. 1, 2025, and then to $15 on Jan. 1, 2026, Youngkin said the bills would “imperil market freedom and economic competitiveness.”

The bills would “implement drastic wage mandates, raise costs on families and small businesses, jeopardize jobs, and fail to recognize regional economic differences across Virginia,” he said in a news release.

Virginia Democrats began an effort to increase the minimum wage in 2020. They passed legislation that year — which took effect with a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic — establishing incremental increases up to $12, with further bumps requiring another Assembly vote.

They and other advocates have argued the legislation would help working families afford basic necessities and keep up with inflation.

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Youngkin took action on a total of 107 bills Thursday, according to his office. He signed 100, including measures that his office said would “strengthen law enforcement’s ability to prosecute child predators and expand Department of Corrections inmate access to quality health services.”

Besides the marijuana and wage bills, he vetoed three others. One would have removed an exemption for farmworkers from the state’s minimum wage law.

Another would have required that approximately 315 individuals incarcerated or on community supervision with a felony marijuana conviction receive a sentencing review, according to Youngkin’s office.

“Ninety-seven inmates convicted of a violent felony offense, such as first and second-degree murder, kidnapping, and robbery, would be eligible for a reduced sentence under this proposal,” he said in his veto statement.

Thursday’s final veto came for a bill that dealt with the type of evidence that can be considered in certain workers’ compensation claims. The governor said current law provides a “balanced approach” while the proposal would “create a disproportionate imbalance in favor of one party.”

The part-time General Assembly adjourned its regular session earlier this month and will meet again in Richmond for a one-day session April 17 to consider Youngkin’s proposed amendments to legislation. They could also attempt to override one or more vetoes, a move that requires a 2/3 vote of both chambers, which are only narrowly controlled by Democrats.

The marijuana legislation advanced mostly along party lines, and the minimum wage bills passed strictly on party lines, meaning any override attempt would be almost certain to fail.

Youngkin announced the vetoes a day after the public collapse of one of his top legislative priorities: a deal to bring the NHL’s Washington Capitals and NBA’s Washington Wizards to Alexandria. The teams’ majority owner announced they would instead be staying in D.C.

One of the biggest quirks you should be aware of: Virginia, like D.C., has two primary dates in 2024. Read on for more.

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Primary dates:

• Tuesday, March 5 (Super Tuesday): Virginia’s presidential primary

• Tuesday, June 18: Virginia’s congressional primary

Voter registration in Virginia:

• You can register to vote or apply for an absentee ballot online using the Virginia Department of Elections Citizen Portal.

• The deadline to register to vote or to update an existing registration for the presidential primary was Monday, Feb. 12. (However, voters still may register after this date and vote using a provisional ballot through Primary Day.)

• The deadline to register to vote or to update an existing registration for the congressional primary is Tuesday, May 28. (However, voters may register after this date and vote using a provisional ballot through Primary Day.)

Ways to vote in Virginia’s presidential primary:

• Voting in person on Primary Day: Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5. Anyone in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote. Find your polling place here.
• Mail-in voting: The deadline has passed for those who wanted their ballots to be mailed to them. Those requests needed to be received by local voter registration offices by Friday, Feb. 23 at 5 p.m.
• Early voting in person: Back on Jan. 19, voters began voting early at their local registrar’s office. Voter registration offices were open for early voting through Saturday, March 2 at 5 p.m.

Ways to vote in Virginia’s congressional primary:

• Early voting in person: Starting Friday, May 3, voters may vote early at their local registrar’s office. (Find yours here.) Starting on Saturday, June 8, voter registration offices will be open for early voting, through Saturday, June 15 at 5 p.m. (Find yours here.)

• Mail-in voting: If you want a ballot to be mailed to you, your request must be received by your local voter registration office by Friday, June 7 at 5 p.m.

• Voting in person on Primary Day: Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18. Anyone in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote. Find your polling place here.

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Lawmakers in Virginia’s House of Delegates and Senate money committees introduced their respective budget proposals over the weekend. Only the House proposal included any money for the arena.

Some of the Senate’s top Democrats, including Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee Chairman Louise Lucas, do not think Virginia should use state-backed bonds to support a new arena for Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the company that owns the Wizards and the Capitals.

“Everybody agrees, this is not a good deal for Virginia,” Lucas said. We’re not going to let billionaires build their fortunes on the backs of our taxpayers’ dollars.”

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“They’re talking about going public at some point after taxpayer dollars have gotten them to the point that they want to get to, and under my watch, I say hell no,” Lucas continued.

Lucas also decided to strip extra Metro funding from the spending proposal, which came as a surprise as Metro is looking at a $750 million budget deficit.

Northern Virginia lawmakers have been pushing to include money for Metro in the budget. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has said he would support it if there was funding for the Monumental deal.

The main takeaway is that these proposals are only a preliminary. The House and Senate will have to negotiate and agree on the budget proposal by the end of the legislative session, which is on March 9.

Last week, the House lawmakers passed a bill allowing a plan for an arena to be built in Alexandria for the Washington Capitals and Wizards to move forward, sending the bill to the Senate, where lawmakers allowed their version of the legislation to die.

Similar bills that would establish a right to obtain and use a detailed list of contraception approved by the federal government — including oral medications, intrauterine devices, condoms and the Plan-B morning-after pill — have cleared both the House of Delegates and the Senate. The legislation also creates a right to sue over violations of its provisions.

“I think the overturning of Roe was a first step on the assault on reproductive health care,” said Sen. Ghazala Hashmi of Chesterfield, the sponsor of one of the measures.

The court’s June 2022 majority opinion overturning the 1973 Roe decision said it applied only to abortion. But Hashmi noted conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ separate concurring opinion that said the court “should reconsider” other precedents, including decisions legalizing same-sex marriage, striking down laws criminalizing gay sex and establishing the right of married couples to use contraception.

“I didn’t hear any of his other conservative member justices challenge him on that. And so if he’s saying this, I think we ought to believe him,” Hashmi said.

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Hashmi and Democratic Del. Cia Price of Newport News, the sponsor of the House bill, emphasized the importance of access to contraception not only for family planning but to prevent sexually transmitted infections and to help manage other medical conditions, including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Similar efforts have been made in other states around the country. Thirteen states had enacted some kind of legal protections for the right to contraception as of October and more were pending, according to research from KFF, a nonprofit that studies health care issues.

In Congress, a measure to enshrine the right to use contraceptives passed the House of Representatives in July 2022 but failed to advance in the Senate.

While Price’s version of the legislation picked up a handful of Republican votes on the House floor, the bills have been advancing largely along party lines. And they have drawn opposition from religious and socially conservative groups, who have raised a range of objections, particularly over the lack of an exemption for health care workers who may have a religious or moral objection to offering contraception.

The bill is “designed to restrict the conscience rights of medical providers,” said Jeff Caruso, executive director of the Virginia Catholic Conference.

Other opponents raised concerns that the bill was written broadly enough that it could protect access to abortifacient drugs.

Price said that’s unfounded, noting that the bill defines contraception as “an action taken to prevent pregnancy.” The definition also covers sterilization procedures.

“This is not a conversation about abortion,” she said in a committee hearing.

During discussion on the Senate floor, Sen. David Suetterlein of Roanoke, a Republican with an independent voting streak, said that while he supports the “spirit” of the legislation, he had concerns about creating an “affirmative legal right.”

“I think that we need to continue making sure that we expand contraceptive coverage and access. I think abortion is a tragedy, and I think one of the greatest things we can do to reduce the likelihood of those occurring is make sure that we have contraceptives available to people across this Commonwealth,” he said.

The measures are supported by associations representing health care providers — the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Nurse Midwives — along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.

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The bills are almost certain to reach final passage in the coming weeks. But it’s not clear how Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin will act on them. Asked for comment, his press office said only that he will review all legislation that reaches his desk.

If Youngkin does not sign the legislation, “he’ll need to explain to Virginians why he thinks contraception ought not to be protected,” Hashmi said.

A Senate committee voted down three GOP-sponsored bills that would have rolled back the so-called “clean cars” legislation first passed and signed into law in 2021. The law will phase in a requirement that all new cars, pickup trucks and SUVs offered for sale be 100% zero-emission by 2035. Sales of new gas-powered cars will be banned, though drivers will be able to keep their existing gas-powered cars or buy used ones.

“We know that we have not honored the commitment to keep our Earth green and to pass on to our children an environment that is really worthy of their future,” said Democratic Sen. Barbara Favola of Arlington as she spoke against the repeal measure, urging her colleagues not to reverse course.

Republicans strongly opposed the legislation when it was first adopted in 2021 and have tried unsuccessfully in each legislative session since to repeal it. They have made it a campaign issue, arguing its goals are unattainable and that the electric vehicles that will be required — and their batteries — are too expensive for many low-income and middle-class families. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has repeatedly called for a repeal, as recently as a speech to the General Assembly last week.

In Tuesday’s hearing, multiple Republican legislators said that while they also want to protect the environment, a mandate is not the best way to proceed.

“This should be personal choice,” Sen. Richard Stuart of King George said of the decision to purchase an electric vehicle.

Democrats have touted the bill as a major accomplishment, and environmental groups who welcomed Tuesday’s vote have said it’s one of the biggest steps Virginia has taken to address climate change.

Supporters say the law will make it easier and more likely that Virginians will choose cleaner cars and in turn help reduce pollution from the transportation sector, which federal data shows is Virginia’s single largest source of heat-trapping carbon dioxide.

Environmental advocates also note that many major auto manufacturers have independently announcedplans to phase out gas-powered cars.

California’s vehicle emissions standards are stricter than the federal standard Virginia previously followed. California has had the authority to set its own for decades under a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act and has tightened its standards since Virginia first voted to adopt the legislation in 2021.

The program applies to manufacturers, not car dealers. Manufacturers who aren’t in compliance can buy credits from others who have surpassed the target.

Fifteen states besides Virginia and California have adopted California’s zero-emissions vehicle standards, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Repeal bills are still alive in the House of Delegates, which is also narrowly controlled by Democrats. But Tuesday’s action signals they are likely to meet the same fate.

The Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee rolled several similar repeal bills together before voting the consolidated bunch down on an 8-6 party-line vote.

In a statement afterward, Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez said the committee’s decision was disappointing.

“Government mandates like this for electric vehicles, which defy common sense, will hold Virginians hostage to higher costs and fewer choices. Governor Youngkin believes we should be empowering Virginians to make their own choice over the car they drive and will continue to work to lower costs and put power where it belongs — with the people,” he said.

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Democratic Sen. Dave Marsden of Fairfax County, who chairs the committee, voted to defeat the repeal bills but not before adding that it was his view that “problems have arisen” in both the “clean cars” legislation and separate Democratic legislation from 2020 mandating that utilities transition to 100% renewable generation. The latter measure, called the Virginia Clean Economy Act, has generally been heralded by Democratic officials as a major accomplishment.

“There are many, many issues that we need to deal with that we can’t deal with here today,” he said, adding that he planned to convene a “major conference” of interested parties to discuss them.

Guns, gambling, abortion, public safety and other issues will be on the agenda as Democrats seek to hold their razor-thin majorities together over the course of the 60-day session. They will need to win Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s support for most of their priorities, though in a few areas they will be able to move without him.

“I think there are some things we’re going to be able to agree on,” Democratic House Speaker Don Scott said of the governor, ticking off spots of typical bipartisan cooperation, like education, mental health and workforce development.

On other legislative items — like gun control and Youngkin’s push for a new sports arena — it remains to be seen where or whether compromise can be found, Scott said in an interview ahead of the session’s start.

Scott, a trial lawyer and Navy veteran, was sworn in as one of the House’s first acts. Scott, whom Democrats nominated for the role in November, made history, becoming the first Black person to serve in the role. His election was without opposition and greeted with rousing cheers and standing ovations.

“I’m very grateful. I know this is God’s favor,” said Scott, who referenced being incarcerated decades ago for a drug-related conviction, adding: “There are those who will tell you that you should be defined forever by a mistake. I am here to tell you — do not believe them.”

Scott will help guide an increasingly diverse Capitol as part of a new generation of leadership that in the Senate includes Democratic Leader Scott Surovell, an attorney from northern Virginia.

Last year’s election cycle — when every legislative seat was on the ballot and candidates ran under newly drawn maps — led to tremendous turnover. About a third of the current Assembly members are new to their respective chambers.

The Assembly also convened with a record-high percentage of female legislators, according to data maintained by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers.

Wednesday’s kick-off effectively marked the halfway point of Youngkin’s term. The governor, who ultimately did not mount a presidential bid after heaps of speculation in 2023 that he might, is prohibited from seeking a second consecutive four years in office.

“If we want Virginia to unleash opportunity, the second half starts now. It’s time to lead. And it’s time to lead together,” he said in his annual State of the Commonwealth address to lawmakers, delivered Wednesday afternoon in the House chamber.

In the two months since the GOP fell short of Youngkin’s stated electoral expectations — losing its House majority and failing to flip the Senate — the governor has begun to roll out his policy roadmap, including his proposed budget. Crafting the next two-year state spending plan will be one of the session’s biggest tasks, something lawmakers in recent years have failed to do on time.

In the his address, Youngkin reiterated a previous call to lower income tax rates while raising the state’s sales tax, a proposal that’s been greeted by skepticism from members of both parties. Youngkin, who has also said he wants to find a way to eliminate the state’s car tax, argued that further reductions to the tax burden would help reduce the number of Virginians leaving the state.

The governor told lawmakers that if they approved the framework of a deal he unveiled in December to move the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals across the Potomac to Alexandria, “it will be a huge win” for the state, region and local small businesses.

Legislation that would create a government entity that could issue around $1.5 billion in bonds to help finance the deal will be among the session’s most closely watched.

The governor called for lawmakers to continue working with him to transform the state’s mental health care system, and he vowed to veto any bill that would impact the state’s so-called “Right to Work” law, which says employers cannot require workers to be union members.

While Wednesday saw mostly procedural tasks, introductions and prepared remarks, the weeks ahead will be filled with long days as lawmakers take up hundreds of proposals.

Republicans, who have said they plan to hold Democrats accountable for any rush to the left, want to try again to pass a bill that would allow prosecutors to charge drug dealers with felony homicide if a user dies of an overdose. They’re also promising a renewed effort to repeal an electric vehicle mandate Democrats enacted in 2021.

Democrats have filed a wide range of bills to tighten penalties for gun-related convictions and limit access to certain types of firearms.

Those measures will face the prospect of a Youngkin veto, though the governor has been quiet enough on the issue that leading gun rights advocates have said they are uncertain of how he might act. In his address, he asked lawmakers to send him measures to toughen penalties for people convicted of gun-related crimes.

Democrats have filed measures that will put Youngkin on the record on other topics where he’s hedged, like same-sex marriage, as well as recreational marijuana retail sales, something he told reporters Wednesday “I really don’t have any interest in.”

Democrats will also be able to elect judges and fill other appointments.

Stoney, 42, made his formal announcement in a video that highlighted his modest upbringing and the struggles he overcame to become the first in his family to graduate from high school and college.

“That’s why I’m running for governor. For families like mine that just need an opportunity. For kids like me, who will thrive in school if they just get the right chance,” he said. “And for parents like my dad, who work multiple jobs and still struggle to live a secure, middle-class life.”

Stoney’s entrance into the race sets up a Democratic nomination contest with U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer who has cultivated an identity as a bipartisan consensus builder over three terms in Congress. Spanberger, who if elected would be the state’s first female governor, announced her bid last month, and others could still enter the field.

No Republicans have announced campaigns yet, though Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are seen as likely contenders. Under state law, GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin cannot seek a second consecutive term.

In his video announcement and an interview Monday morning, Stoney criticized Youngkin’s leadership as out of step with voters’ values.

“I think many Virginians are sick of a governor who was out there focused on banning abortion and banning books and making it harder for people to vote instead of actually focused on how do they climb the economic ladder into the middle class,” he said.

Youngkin’s press office defended his record in a statement that noted his solid approval ratings. And the Republican Party of Virginia criticized Stoney as a “far-left radical,” saying he failed Richmond as mayor and would be a “a disaster for Virginia.”

Stoney, who has two decades of experience in Virginia politics, served as the first Black Secretary of the Commonwealth — a cabinet position — under former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, with whom Stoney is close.

In that role, Stoney oversaw the process of restoring the voting and other civil rights of felons who had completed their sentences, an effort that McAuliffe accelerated and called the most important legacy of his term.

Stoney went on to win a competitive race in 2016 to become the youngest person to serve as mayor of the state’s capital city. He was re-elected in 2020.

In his gubernatorial campaign launch, he also touted his efforts to improve Richmond residents’ lives by tackling what he called “generational problems” — improving the city’s finances, fixing its roads, building new schools and reducing the poverty rate.

He also emphasized his role in directing the removal of Richmond’s enormous collection of Confederate monuments amid the racial justice protests that followed George Floyd’s killing in 2020.

Stoney, who is Black and if elected would be the second African American person to serve as governor, said at the time that the statues’ removal would send a message that the onetime capital of the Confederacy was no longer a place with symbols of oppression and white supremacy.

“Those statues stood high for over 100 years for a reason, and it was to intimidate and to show Black and brown people in this city who was in charge,” he said in the summer of 2020.

Stoney has been involved in Virginia politics since his college days at James Madison University. He worked as a fellow in the office of then-Gov. Mark Warner, then joined John Kerry’s campaign for president. He’s since worked on several other statewide campaigns and at the Democratic Party of Virginia, serving as political director and then executive director.

While Stoney said he sees his current base of support in the central Virginia African American community, he thinks his work, executive experience and life story will help him connect with voters around Virginia, arguing he’s the “only candidate that can campaign everywhere.”

“I truly believe that the voters, the Democratic voters, want someone who has run something, and I’m going to lay out that record at that vision over the course of the next 18 months” ahead of the primary, he said.

Connor Joseph, a spokesperson for Spanberger, said in a written statement that “Virginians know and trust Abigail’s record of public service, her commitment to bringing people together, and her track record of getting things done against tremendous odds — while winning tough races.”

Stoney lives in Richmond with his wife, Brandy. The two are expecting their first child in March.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

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This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

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This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The results of Tuesday’s election mean some big leadership changes in Virginia, as Democrats take over both chambers of the state’s General Assembly. And in the Virginia House, it appears that more history will be made with the new cohort.

In January, Don Scott, delegate from Portsmouth, is poised to make history as the first Black Speaker of the House.

“I’m so very grateful I get to be one of the people to help continue to move the Commonwealth forward,” Scott said. “This is the cradle of the confederacy and to see a person like me would have the opportunity to play this role in our history, it’s amazing. And I’m very prayerful and grateful to be in this position.”

He’s served as the minority leader since 2022, and has served as a state delegate since 2020, the Virginian-Pilot reports.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, two lawmakers — celebrating Democratic wins together Tuesday night — are vying to become the next majority leader: Mamie Locke from Hampton and Scott Surovell from Fairfax County.

With redistricting and retirements, some of Northern Virginia’s most powerful and influential lawmakers are now gone. There are concerns that the region’s influence in Richmond could suffer as a result.

“There is definitely a seniority shift away from NoVA downstate,” said Fairfax County Board chair Jeff McKay.

He’ll be working to develop relationships with those key lawmakers from outside Northern Virginia, hoping to convey the region’s importance and impact.

“For me, this is less about Democrats and Republicans,” McKay said. “This is more about protecting our clout and making sure that Richmond knows NoVA drives the entire state’s economy, and without NoVA, Virginia is a very different state.”

He’s hopeful Northern Virginia lawmakers will win key leadership roles and committee chair positions.

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“It’s clear, with all the retirements, that we’ve lost a lot of clout. But it’s also clear we still have people in NoVA that can play leadership roles,” McKay said.

Scott says he recognizes Northern Virginia’s role as an economic engine, but is hoping for leadership from across the Commonwealth.

“I think Northern Virginia will make out very well as we move forward,” he said.

Scott has told the Virginian-Pilot his priorities in office would include advocating for families and workers, including “paid family leave and sick time, expanded collective bargaining rights and an established $15 minimum wage,” the Hampton-Roads paper reported.

House Democrats will meet this weekend to start choosing their leaders.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

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Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

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Both Democrat Russet Perry and Republican Juan Pablo Segura are new to politics. Segura is also very new to the district he hopes to represent, and Democrats are criticizing him as a political opportunist.

In Virginia, a candidate must be a resident for a year before an election if they want to run for office. Real estate documents show Segura bought his Loudoun townhouse in October 2022, just before the Nov. 8 deadline to qualify to be on the ballot. He launched his campaign for the open District 31 Senate seat in late January 2023.

Perry, his opponent, has lived in Loudoun for almost two decades, serving two stints as a prosecutor in the commonwealth’s attorney’s office before entering private practice. She is accusing Segura of being a political opportunist.

“People move into districts to try to run and buy races; you see things like that happening,” Perry said. “…. I think the residents of this district deserve someone who lives here, who is tied in, who is invested in this district.”

Segura grew up in Fairfax County, but he made his mark as an adult in Washington, D.C., cofounding District Donuts and then creating a digital maternal health care company. He says he and his wife decided to move to Loudoun County in August 2022, when she learned she was pregnant.

“We wanted to come back to Virginia, and it was even more reason to find more space to enjoy all the beauty of Virginia and Loudoun County,” Segura said.

But Democrats point to property tax records in D.C., suggesting Segura initially intended to stay in his condo there at least until the end of March 2023. He applied for and received the Homestead Tax exemption for October 2022 through March 2023, saving him $714. It wasn’t until July that he sought a correction in the records, reporting that he’d moved and was not eligible for the tax break he’d received.

We asked why he hadn’t notified the city sooner about his move.

“There’s a few months’ difference with this homestead dedication that you’re talking about, but again, my whole life changed when …. my wife told us that we were pregnant,” he said.

One voter who cast her ballot for Segura said it’s not the length of his residency in Loudoun that matters.

“It doesn’t matter because his policies, the policies he will adhere to, are what I want,” Kim Spokes said.

Another voter, Margaret Ahbe, said, “It doesn’t matter, as long as they have the same agenda and plans that follow what we believe.”

But another voter, who says he cast his ballot for Perry, thinks having a candidate who is invested in the community matters.

“But to come to Loudoun right before there is an election, I wouldn’t go for that personally,” Terry Williams said. “And that’s whether that person was a Democrat or a Republican.”

Perry says she hopes her longevity in the district will matter to voters.

“My ties to the community, they run deep,” she said. “I knock on thousands of doors and it’s uncommon for me not to come across someone where I don’t personally know someone.”

Perry’s standing in the community is reinforced by campaign donations she’s received — nearly 3,000 from small donors compared to 140 for Segura.

Nick Ignacio created a sample ballot claiming that he’s a preferred Republican candidate on one side but the preferred Democrat on the other side. Ignacio did not get an endorsement from either party.

One voter confronted him outside, saying that he was misleading people before they got the chance to vote.

“At the very least, it’s unethical, and you’re asking for my vote,” voter Margaret Gallagher said. “You’re trying to mislead people as they walk in. And then he threw an insult at me and walked away.”

Ignacio declined to explain why he was giving voters inaccurate information.

He waved to News4’s camera and said, “I’m out here working the polls, ma’am. I want to talk to the voters.”

Voting Sep 22, 2023

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Kellie Acors, the county’s registrar, said that as long as the ballot conforms with rules about the font size and color, there’s nothing election officials can do.

“We don’t have the authority, nor the Department of Elections does, on what is advertised or what they’re sharing on their sample ballot,” said Acors.

Some voters also raised concerns about an armed security guard on site. A friend of sheriff candidate Steve Maxwell hired the guard after one of his volunteers said she had been harassed by a Democratic campaign worker.

“That worker felt that they were being accosted verbally and almost physically because this person, according to their description, was leaning across the table and yelling at them,” Maxwell said.

The security guard being there is legal as long as he stays at least 40 feet from the polling place. Because voters are concerned that the guard will scare people away, the guard said he’ll put on a more casual uniform to make people feel more comfortable.

The security guard said he’ll also be accompanying Maxwell to campaign events. Maxwell is challenging longtime incumbent Sheriff Roger Harris. 

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A recent flurry of Democratic-sponsored ads and mailers in battleground districts expected to determine political control of the General Assembly have warned that Republicans would use a newfound legislative majority to ban abortion, including in cases where the pregnancy resulted from rape or a mother’s life was at risk. Virginia, currently under divided political control, now allows elective abortions in the first and second trimesters and is the only Southern state that has not implemented new restrictions since the end of Roe v. Wade.

In their messaging, Democrats have cited recent strict bans enacted in other GOP-led states, along with Republican candidates’ legislative records, past public statements and news articles, to bolster their claims. Republicans, who are largely campaigning on GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed ban on abortions after 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, say their opponents are misrepresenting those sources or candidates’ past statements in an exploitative effort to drive turnout.

“With no vision to offer the Commonwealth in this election and nothing to inspire Virginians to vote for their extreme candidates, Virginia Democrats are reverting to their tired tactics of overt falsehoods and flagrant fearmongering,” Youngkin’s political action committee said in a news release Tuesday.

Every General Assembly seat is on the ballot this year, with early voting already underway, in an election cycle that will determine partisan control of the House of Delegates, now GOP-led, and the Democratic-controlled Senate. Virginia’s narrow political divide and unusual off-year schedule mean the contests typically draw outsized national attention and are often viewed as a possible bellwether for the coming year’s federal elections.

Republican staffers and campaign operatives in Virginia have been arguing for weeks that Democrats are overreaching or outright lying in their messaging. But the conversation escalated Tuesday after Joel Griffin, the Democratic nominee in a competitive Fredericksburg-area Senate race, publicized a new ad criticizing his Republican opponent, Tara Durant.

“Tara Durant supports letting Virginia ban abortions with no exceptions. … She supports letting Virginia force a 10-year-old rape victim carry to term,” female speakers warned in the video.

Virginia Aug 28, 2023

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin hopes to pass 15 week abortion ban

Virginia Aug 28, 2023

Virginia Gov. Youngkin eyes a 15-week abortion ban as a ‘consensus' voters would back

Included as citations for both statements was a 2022 Facebook post from Durant praising the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Durant, a current member of the state House who has said she backs the governor’s 15-week proposal, responded by saying Griffin had “crossed a line” with the new ad.

The ad “smears Tara Durant — a mother of two young women — as wanting to force a 10-year-old victim of rape to carry a child. Such an unnerving, unfounded charge warrants nothing but clear-cut condemnation,” her campaign said in a statement.

Griffin then responded in part by pointing out a flier from Durant’s competitive primary that called Durant “a proven champion for the unborn” and “100% pro-life.”

Republicans are suddenly moderating their rhetoric and long-standing opposition to abortion access at the advice of pollsters, House Democratic Leader Don Scott argued in an interview Wednesday. Anti-abortion groups have seen a string of losses in statewide ballot fights since the U.S. Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for abortion last year.

Scott and other Democrats also say they are skeptical that a Republican majority would not seek to go further than Youngkin’s 15-week proposal — which would still accommodate most abortions, according to the latest available federal data. They frequently invoke The Washington Post’s reporting last year that Youngkin told a conservative audience he would “happily and gleefully” sign “any bill … to protect life.”

Youngkin’s press office did not directly answer questions Wednesday from The Associated Press about whether the governor would sign a stricter ban, or legislation that did not contain exceptions, though spokeswoman Macaulay Porter reiterated Youngkin’s support for the 15-week legislation.

House Speaker Todd Gilbert said he did not believe a measure more restrictive than the governor’s current proposal could clear the Legislature.

“Let’s use me as an example. I am no less a pro-life member of the Legislature than I’ve ever been. But I understand that that’s not where the majority of Virginians are on this issue,” he said in an interview, calling the governor’s proposal an attempt to find consensus.

He added that if Republicans retain their House majority, “there will be no deviating” from the campaign platform. Democrats in recent years have shown they are the extremists on the issue, Gilbert said, both for their support for the removal of limits on abortion later in pregnancy and their advocacy for a proposal that called for enshrining “a fundamental right to reproductive freedom” in the state constitution.

In other swing districts around the state, debates like the Griffin-Durant exchange have also played out.

In a competitive suburban Richmond state Senate race, Democratic nominee Schuyler VanValkenburg’s campaign ran an ad featuring a woman who said his Republican opponent, Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant “wants to ban abortion, take away a woman’s choice.”

Dunnavant, a practicing OB-GYN, carried legislation this session that would have added limits on third-trimester abortions and has since said she supports legal abortion through 15 weeks and afterward only in cases of rape, incest, to save the mother’s life and in cases of severe fetal anomalies.

“I don’t support an abortion ban. Period,” Dunnavant said in an ad that aired soon after.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

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The full terms of the proposal were not immediately disclosed. But Democratic Sen. Creigh Deeds said in an interview that his caucus had made an offer that included serious concessions, including on some of the permanent tax cuts House Republicans and Gov. Glenn Youngkin have been seeking. It could pave the way for a deal, he said.

“I think it certainly is the basis for getting this resolved in the next couple of weeks,” Deeds said.

The politically divided General Assembly ended its regular session in February without reaching agreement on the full spending plan. Private negotiations between representatives of the GOP-controlled House and Democrat-controlled Senate have been underway since then.

Because the state operates on a two-year budget, with the plan initially adopted in even-numbered years and amended in odd-numbered years, the impasse hasn’t halted the functioning of the state government, even as the state moved into a new fiscal year July 1. There’s already a budget in place.

But lawmakers have faced criticism for not moving more quickly on the spending plan at a time when the state has a multibillion-dollar surplus, the exact size of which has been under dispute. School districts, local governments and a wide range of advocacy groups and special interest groups have been closely watching for progress.

Del. Barry Knight, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, confirmed Friday that he had received a 21-page proposal from Senate Democrats a day earlier. He said in a text message that the proposal was still under review.

Deeds said the offer represents a “consensus view” that Senate Democrats “had to swallow some toads to get to.”

He said it involves tax relief, mostly in the form of rebates but also some permanent tax cuts. The offer attempted to cover both parties’ top priorities, he said.

Deeds, who is among the small circle of budget conferees involved in negotiations, declined to share a copy, deferring to Sen. Janet Howell and Sen. George Barker, co-chairs of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. They did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

The proposal from Senate Democrats comes after House Republicans made their most recent offer last month.

“It’s a tremendous compromise,” Del. Barry Knight said of his offer to the Democratic senators with whom he’s been working for months to try to reach a resolution on the state’s budget stalemate.

Though Democrats were scheduled to meet later this week to discuss Knight’s offer, it wasn’t clear Monday whether the concession would be enough to end the gridlock.

“They want they want to do one thing, we want to do something else,” Senate Democratic Leader Dick Saslaw said.

Knight’s proposal would modify an earlier GOP plan by spending more of the state’s multi-billion-dollar surplus on one-time tax rebates while dedicating a smaller amount to ongoing tax relief, according to an outline of the offer obtained by The Associated Press.

Knight’s proposal does not include a corporate tax cut sought by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who had also advocated for the now-abandoned cut to the top individual tax rate. Knight, of Virginia Beach, had previously declined to discuss the July 19 counterproposal in detail but granted an interview Monday after AP obtained a copy of the letter.

Knight, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, has been involved with slow-moving talks with Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee co-chairs Janet Howell and George Barker since the regular session ended earlier this this year without an agreement on a full spending plan.

Though Virginia is flush with cash — running a surplus north of $3 billion, with the exact amount in dispute — the politically divided General Assembly has so far been unable to reach a compromise on how much of it should be spent on core government services like education and behavioral health care or returned to taxpayers.

Because the state operates on a two-year budget, with the plan initially adopted in even-numbered years and amended in odd-numbered years, the impasse hasn’t halted the functioning of the state government, even as the state moved into a new fiscal year July 1. There’s already a budget in place.

But the gridlock has created uncertainty and dismayed lobbyists, advocates, school districts and longtime state government observers. Other policy matters ranging from potential casino siting language to public employee raises are also tied up in the negotiations.

Bipartisan talks broke down in late June, after Republicans thought they were close to a deal, but Democrats put forward a new proposal of their own.

Knight wrote to Howell and Barker about three weeks later with the latest counteroffer. In his letter, he noted that Democrats in June had called for $907 million in one-time tax relief.

“In keeping with that proposal,” Knight wrote that he was suggesting a package of between $900 million and $1 billion in tax relief in the current fiscal year, of which 80% is one-time spending. The largest item in that bucket would be rebate checks of $175 for a single filer and $350 for joint filers, he wrote. That’s in the ballpark of what Senate Democrats proposed last month, according to a policy document they shared with AP at the time.

The latest House GOP plan still calls for further increasing the standard deduction for all Virginians, and it would raise the threshold for the top personal income tax rate from $17,000 to $21,000 — something Knight said was aimed at offering relief to low-income Virginians. It would eliminate the age restriction on a military pension benefit and increase the interest exemption for businesses, according to Knight’s letter. But it would drop the previous GOP position that called for lowering the top individual tax rate from 5.75% to 5.5%, something Knight said Democrats had resisted.

In return, he has asked that a similar $800 million of an expected $1 billion in Senate-prescribed spending would be limited to one-time expenditures.

Under the proposed framework, the remaining approximately $1.6B would go toward shared priorities, Knight said in the interview.

Knight said he’s had no direct contact with Howell or Barker since the letter penned on July 19 and delivered July 20, which he said he followed with a second letter and a phone call to Barker. He expressed dismay at what he considered an apparent lack of urgency.

Barker and Howell did not respond to phone calls Monday seeking comment.

While Saslaw indicated that the proposal had been widely shared, Mamie Locke, the Senate Democrats’ caucus chair and a budget conferee, said in a text message Monday that she did not have a copy and could not discuss it. Sen. Scott Surovell, the caucus vice chair, also said he did not have it.

While insisting that “Virginia deserves a budget,” Knight said if there’s no major progress in the next few weeks, it may begin to make more sense to start fresh during next year’s legislative session.

Macaulay Porter, a spokeswoman for Youngkin, said in a statement that the governor continues to believe the General Assembly can reach a budget deal that invests in key services and provides tax relief. She said he urges lawmakers to deliver on both, and “quickly,” adding, “Virginians deserve it.”

Every seat in the General Assembly will be on the ballot in the fall.

The haul will bring to $8.5 million the total Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia political action committee has raised in the first six months of 2023, according to details provided to The Associated Press ahead of a Monday reporting deadline. And it will leave Spirit of Virginia with $6 million in cash on hand just over two months before the start of early voting in this year’s legislative elections that will decide political control of the currently divided General Assembly.

“The Governor has built and scaled an unprecedented campaign to hold the House and flip the Senate,” Dave Rexrode, the PAC’s chairman and a senior adviser to Youngkin, said in a statement to the AP. “His commonsense approach to cutting taxes, backing the blue, empowering parents, and tackling our behavioral health crisis has united Virginians and he’s just getting started.”

Since his 2021 campaign, Youngkin, a wealthy former private equity executive, has continually shattered fundraising records, much to the delight of other Virginia Republicans, who have typically been outspent by Democrats in recent election cycles.

The two parties are competing this year for the state’s 140 legislative seats in a cycle that’s been shaken up by a redistricting process that overhauled Virginia’s electoral maps. The new district lines were drawn without regard to incumbent protection, which drove a wave of retirements, leading to an unusually high number of open seats.

All signs are pointing to an extraordinarily expensive cycle in a state that allows unlimited donations. House Democrats have already reporting raising $2.3 million for the second quarter, more than at the same point in 2021. House Democratic Leader Don Scott said earlier this month when the sum was disclosed that it showed “Democrats have a winning formula and the people are with us.”

“People are sick of living under the unsuccessful government run by the Virginia GOP and their extreme MAGA agenda,” Scott said.

The House Republican caucus and GOP Speaker Todd Gilbert will report raising a combined $3.2 million in the quarter, caucus spokesman Garren Shipley said Thursday. The respective Senate caucuses have not yet released their topline numbers.

Most Republicans acknowledge they face a tougher road to victory based on the makeup of the sliver of seats in each chamber that will likely decide the balance of power. But Youngkin’s advisors told reporters this week they expect the open-seat environment to work to their advantage by putting a greater focus on the governor’s record at a time when polling shows him with higher approval ratings than President Joe Biden.

Full details of the governor’s receipts and expenditures over the quarter will become clear once the PAC makes its public filing. But already available disclosures show the sum was powered in part by two individual $1 million donations. One came in April from GOP megadonor Thomas Peterffy, who attended a Florida fundraising event for Youngkin. Another came in May from a Texas education reformer, according to reporting from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Other donors this quarter included a mix of Youngkin aides, at least one personal friend of the governor’s, longtime Virginia donors, corporate interests and business executives including David S. Winter, co-CEO of New York-based Standard Industries.

Youngkin’s April-June haul set a new quarterly record, beating the previous one held by Youngkin, and far surpassing what previous governors raised in the same three months of comparable election cycles, according to an analysis by the PAC based on records maintained by the nonpartisan Virginia Political Access Project.

Previous Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, who at the time was regaining his political footing from a scandal over a racist photo discovered in his medical school yearbook, raised $309,705 in the second quarter of 2019. Northam’s predecessor, Democrat Terry McAuliffe raised $1,028,656 in the second quarter of 2015, VPAP’s records show.

McAuliffe also set the now-broken annual gubernatorial fundraising record in 2015, with $4.77 million in his Common Good VA PAC.

Since his 2021 win in blue-trending Virginia captured national attention, speculation has swirled that Youngkin might launch a 2024 presidential bid. In public remarks, he has declined to unequivocally rule a run out but answered questions about the prospect by saying his priority is flipping the state Senate and holding the House of Delegates.

“When Governor Youngkin says he’s focused on Virginia, he means it,” Rexrode said in the statement.

Still, he remains an intriguing candidate for some influential conservatives who are concerned about former President Donald Trump’s hold on the party.

In a recent meeting with reporters, Rexrode and other advisers declined to answer a question about whether donors were encouraging the governor to get in the race.

Sen. Joe Morrissey, a political centrist and increasingly rare Democrat who supports limits on abortion access, lost to former state legislator Lashrecse Aird, who calls herself a 100% supporter of abortion rights.

“Joe’s been here too long. It’s time for new blood,” said Gail Coleman, 62, who voted for Aird Tuesday afternoon in suburban Richmond.

Republican Sen. Amanda Chase, a right-wing firebrand who has served in the Senate since 2016 and embraced falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election, was edged out by Glen Sturtevant, a lawyer and former senator seeking a political comeback in the red-leaning suburban Richmond district.

Get the latest results here.

Voters decided dozens of other nominees, including in some swing districts that will help determine the balance of power in the General Assembly in the November election. Virginia’s Legislature is closely divided politically, and the state is one of just a few that holds its legislative races in odd-numbered years. The unusual calendar and quasi-swing state status make Virginia worth watching for hints of voter sentiment ahead of the next midterms or presidential cycle.

Both parties and both chambers had competitive contests on Tuesday’s ballot, and an unusually high number of sitting officeholders faced serious challenges in an election season upended by new political maps.

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This year marks the first cycle in which legislative candidates are running in districts created during the redistricting process that ended in late 2021. The new maps were drawn by outside experts without regard to protecting incumbents. That’s contributed to a wave of retirements by many veteran lawmakers and diminished the name-recognition advantage for incumbents, some of whom ran in almost entirely new districts.

The losses by Chase, Morrissey and their colleagues will add to the already lofty turnover.

In another high-profile race, Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a veteran legislator, knocked off Sen. Lionell Spruill. The race for the heavily Democratic Hampton Roads seat was one of only two featuring current members of the same chamber running against one another. It was marked by particularly sharp personal attacks on social media and in TV ads.

Lucas, who has served in the Senate since 1992, campaigned as a fighter. She donned boxing gloves in some ads, promising to take on Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

“MOMMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT!” she tweeted.

In Northern Virginia, challengers upset at least two other Democratic incumbents.

Saddam Salim, a first-generation immigrant and political activist, defeated moderate Democratic Sen. Chap Petersen, a lawyer who angered the angered the liberal wing of his party by providing a key vote for Republicans in getting some of Youngkin’s priorities across the finish line, including legislation that ended school mask mandates last year.

Stella Pekarsky, a member of the Fairfax County School Board, beat Democratic Sen. George Barker, who has served in the Senate since 2008 and wields significant influence as co-chair of the chamber’s Finance and Appropriations Committee.

In a contentious Republican contest for a southwest Virginia House seat, freshman Del. Wren Williams defeated fellow Del. Marie March. In northern Virginia, former CIA officer Russet Perry secured the Democratic nomination in a Senate seat expected to be a key battleground in the general election.

Elsewhere, incumbents easily cruised past challengers. Democratic Sen. Lamont Bagby handily defeated Katie Gooch in a Richmond-area race, and Sen. Dave Marsden defeated Heidi Drauschak, who was backed by the big-spending advocacy group Clean Virginia.

In a Charlottesville-anchored seat, Democratic Sen. Creigh Deeds fended off a spirited challenge from Sally Hudson, a member of the House of Delegates. Deeds, a respected advocate on mental health issues, campaigned as a pragmatic progressive whose experience and relationships in Richmond would be a boon to his constituents, an argument echoed by other incumbents.

Among Republicans, Chase was the only Senate incumbent to face a challenge Tuesday. She campaigned as a champion of gun rights and other conservative values. She also persistently repeated former President Donald Trump’s falsehoods about widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

Although Chase had campaigned with Youngkin after unsuccessfully seeking the party’s nomination for governor herself in 2021, Youngkin did not endorse her in the race. Nor did he wade into an eight-way Senate contest in the Shenandoah Valley won by farmer Timmy French.

But the night went especially well for other candidates the governor backed. All of the seven on the ballot Tuesday won their nomination contests. The three others in competitive races he backed had won party-run nominations earlier.

In the central Virginia Senate nomination contest with Morrissey, Aird was powered to victory with endorsements from an unusual number of legislators and members of the state’s congressional delegation. She also far outspent Morrissey, who ran a scrappy operation with no official campaign manager.

A disbarred attorney with a long history of personal and professional controversies, Morrissey calls himself “pro-life” but has long supported some abortion access. He has recently expressed a willingness to vote with Republicans to enact stricter limits.

Morrissey had time and again overcome personal controversies to win elected office. Campaigning this year, he faced allegations of mistreatment and physical abuse by his decades-younger estranged wife, which he strenuously denied.

Despite those headwinds, many observers were unwilling to count him out because of his long-established reputation as an effective grassroots campaigner who takes care of bread-and-butter issues for constituents. Morrissey conceded to Aird.

Aird, who works in higher education administration, will head into the general election season as the favorite in the blue leaning district south and east of Richmond.

A handful of other races were too early to call.

Get the latest results here.

Associated Press photographer Steve Helber contributed to this report from Dinwiddie.

Reactions from lawmakers across the DMV poured in following Biden’s announcement.

Many leaders commended Biden on his years of public service, and some praised him for putting the well-being of the nation before himself by dropping out.

“My gratitude and prayers are with President Biden,” wrote D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in a post on X. “His selfless decision today truly put America first. Thank you Mr. President.”

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment.

“I believe he made the right decision for his family and the country,” he wrote on X. “These are dangerous and unprecedented times. He should be commended for putting the country ahead of personal ambition.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised Biden as he endorsed Harris on Monday, saying she has a unique ability to energize the Democratic Party.

“The American people deserve a champion who will continue the progress of the Biden-Harris administration, and that’s why I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris,” Moore said in a statement posted on X. “Vice President Harris has the experience, record, vision and wisdom to unify the country.”

Moore said Harris was one of the first people to call him after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed earlier this year, showing leadership and empathy.

The Maryland Democratic Delegation unanimously agreed to endorse Harris on Monday and announced delegates going to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will vote for Harris, according to a press release.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who’s backing former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, took aim at the “Biden/Harris Administration’s weak leadership” in a post on X.

“It’s time for our nation to now come together with resolve to secure our borders, structure safe communities, grow an economy that lifts up all Americans and restores peace through strength,” Youngkin said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland applauded Biden and his long political career on Sunday. A day later, he endorsed Harris.

“Over the last four years – and throughout his decades of prior service – he has delivered on behalf of the American people, working to better the lives of millions, while never forgetting where he came from and who he was fighting for,” Van Hollen said in a statement Sunday.

On Monday, Van Hollen said: “Kamala Harris has fought tirelessly to advance the aspirations of every American and build an inclusive economy that supports working Americans, families, and seniors. Having served with her in the Senate, and worked closely together during her time as Vice President, I’ve seen firsthand that she has what it takes to defeat Trump this November and to continue moving our nation forward. The stakes for our democracy could not be higher – and I’m committed to working alongside Vice President Harris to get the job done.”

Virginia Rep. Don Beyer called Biden “a great American.”

“Today he made a hard decision few others could have made, showed his character, and put his country first,” Beyer said in a statement. “I am proud of my support for Joe Biden, and proud of his patriotism.”

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia likened Biden’s decision to “the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions” in a statement.

In Virginia, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, President Louise Lucas and the rest of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsed Harris.

Some leaders also endorsed Harris and emphasized beating Trump as a priority.

“I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress,” Kaine said.

“While there has to be an orderly process and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of the DNC delegates, I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner in a statement. “This November, we must defeat Donald Trump and his backwards agenda.”

Prince George’s County Executive and Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate Angela Alsobrooks also endorsed Harris and emphasized the differences in Harris’ and Trump’s platforms.

“She will provide a clear and stark contrast to the regressive vision Donald Trump has for this country,” Alsobrooks said in a statement. “She will make this race about the future and the kind of country our children deserve to inherit. Each and every one of us deserves that kind of leader.”

Beyer also showed support for Harris and said he will support her through a fair nomination process.

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The winners will face off in a November general election that will decide control of the closely divided General Assembly. Republicans are aiming for a complete lock on the commonwealth’s legislative agenda by winning back the state Senate, which Democrats now control by a 22-18 majority. In 2021, Republicans won a narrow 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates and swept every statewide constitutional office.

Voters also will weigh in on commonwealth’s attorneys, sheriffs and the chairs of boards of supervisors.

The polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. Anyone who’s in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote.

At the Fairfax County Government Center’s polling place in Fairfax, voters said they cast their ballot to weigh in on issues including the school board and environmental concerns.

“We need to choose who’s running our government,” one voter said.

Here’s info on how you can cast your ballot and what to expect on election night.

Is there a primary in my area? Am I registered to vote? Where do I go to vote?

The Virginia Board of Elections has a map and a list of places with primary elections on Tuesday.

Go here to look up where your polling place is. Go here to check your voter registration status. It’s too late to apply to get a mail-in ballot.

Virginia now has same-day voter registration. People who aren’t already registered to vote can vote using a provisional ballot. These ballots aren’t immediately processed by vote-counting machines; rather, they are subject to approval by the local electoral board before they are counted. Go here for more information.

Voters must provide an acceptable form of identification or sign an identity confirmation statement. Go here for additional information.

For a sample ballot, check the website of your county or city.

Can I vote for a candidate from any party?

Yes. Virginia has open primaries, which means voters can vote for anyone regardless of their registered political party. Voters choose a party ballot, and the choice is recorded.

What are some of the biggest races to watch?

The election results in the House of Delegates and state Senate are expected to be dramatic, with high turnover in both chambers.

Democratic Senate Races:

District 29 (southern Prince William and northern Stafford): Del. Elizabeth Guzman is challenging incumbent Sen. Jeremy McPike.

District 33 (southern Fairfax and northern Prince William): Former delegate and lieutenant governor nominee Hala Ayala is trying to get back into the legislature by running against former delegate and gubernatorial hopeful Jennifer Carroll Foy. They both were first elected in 2017, turning their red House seats blue.

District 37 (eastern Fairfax): Longtime senator Chap Petersen, first elected in 2007 after serving two terms in the House of Delegates, is facing Saddam Salim, a more progressive candidate.

Republican Senate Races:

District 1 (Winchester, Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah): This newly created seat attracted longtime Republican Del. Dave LaRock to run. He will face seven other candidates.

District 12 (Chesterfield County): Amanda Chase, who has described herself as “Trump in heels” is facing two GOP opponents: Tina Ramirez and Glen Sturtevant.

District 18 (Portsmouth, Chesapeake): High-profile lawmaker Louise Lucas faces her longtime local ally Lionel Spruill after redistricting combined their districts.

Commonwealth’s Attorneys:

Commonwealth’s attorneys in Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties are all facing in-party Democratic challengers. In Arlington County, incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti is running for her second term against challenger Josh Katcher. In Fairfax County, incumbent Steve Descano is running for his second term against challenger Ed Nuttall. In Loudoun County, incumbent Buta Biberaj is running for her second term against challenger Elizabeth Lancaster.

Boards of Supervisors Chairs:

The leaders of Fairfax County and Prince William County’s boards of supervisors, both Democrats, are facing in-party challengers. There’s a Republican race in Prince William County as well.

Sheriffs:

Sheriffs are on the ballot in Arlington and Fairfax.

What do we know about turnout and people voting in advance?

As of April 1, there were 6 million registered voters in Virginia, which doesn’t have party registration. In a change from previous elections, Virginia hasn’t released the number of advance votes cast before election day. In the 2022 general election, about a third of voters cast ballots before election day, both in person and by mail.

Mail ballots can arrive as late as the Friday after election day if they are postmarked by election day.

How long does vote counting usually take?

In the 2022 general election, the vote count in Virginia lasted 10 days in some counties, but the updates were relatively small in the days after election day.

What could these election results indicate beyond Virginia?

Virginia is one of just a handful of states with legislative elections this year. The unusual election cycle and Virginia’s quasi-swing state status mean the races often draw outsized attention as a potential bellwether for future national races.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

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Parkinson, who works for the conservative economic policy group Club for Growth, told The Associated Press ahead of a formal announcement that frustration over pandemic-related school and business closures “changed his worldview” and pushed him to seek public office for the first time.

Parkinson said that Kaine, a fixture in Virginia politics known for his down-to-earth approach, is vulnerable because of his votes for key pieces of President Joe Biden’s agenda that have contributed to inflation now crushing the middle class.

“I think that there’s this perception that he’s a nice guy … and they don’t peel back the layers of the onion to see exactly how we got to where we are today,” Parkinson said. “And Tim Kaine has voted for all of it.”

Kaine, who was Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential running mate in 2016, has been in public office for nearly three decades, serving as Richmond’s mayor and later as the state’s lieutenant governor and governor. He was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and handily defeated a far-right challenger in 2018.

So far, no Democratic opponent has emerged to challenge Kaine, who firmed up his plans to seek a third term in January after speculation he might retire.

Kaine’s decision to run eased his party’s worries about the possibility of an open seat. He will be seen as having an edge in the must-win race for Democrats facing a tough Senate map in 2024. Though Virginia has been trending blue in recent decades, voters elected a slate of Republican statewide officials, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin, in 2021.

Asked for comment, a Kaine spokeswoman referred to a statement the senator issued when he announced he was seeking re-election. In it, Kaine highlighted his work as a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, and he vowed to prioritize issues ranging from child care affordability to immigration reform, climate change, abortion rights, voting rights and national security.

Parkinson has spent more than 15 years working in Washington, D.C., including as a staffer for U.S. Sens. John Ensign, Ron Johnson and Marco Rubio and as executive director of the Republican Study Committee, a conservative House Caucus. He was chief of staff to then-U.S. Rep. DeSantis and then served as deputy executive director of the DeSantis gubernatorial transition team in Florida.

Parkinson’s array of Republican connections will help him raise the money and reach the voters necessary to compete in what’s shaping up to be a crowded field seeking the party’s nomination, he said.

Parkinson plans to campaign on a promise to cap the growth of government spending and reduce taxation. He voiced support for doubling down on Trump-era tax cuts and rolling back government regulations “stifling American opportunity.”

“I’m terrified about what the future of the American economy looks like for my kids,” Parkinson said. “And so that will be a big, big element of our campaign, when we create a movement to rescue the middle class.”

Parkinson described himself as pro-life but declined to directly answer a question about what limits on abortion rights he thinks are most appropriate, including whether he supports exceptions in cases of rape, incest or danger to the life of the mother.

Asked if he believes the 2020 presidential election was free and fair, he expressed concerns about the accuracy of voter rolls. Parkinson said he would not describe the election as being stolen, as Trump falsely has, but believes there are “legitimate concerns” around the country about election integrity.

Parkinson, 40, is vice president of government affairs for the Washington-based Club for Growth, an influential conservative group advocating for lower taxes, limited government, school choice and the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

He lives in Arlington, Virginia, with his wife and four children.

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This story has been updated to remove an incorrect reference in a quote to Kaine playing the banjo.