Electoral reform in Virginia refers to efforts to change the electoral system in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia has undergone much electoral change since its settling in 1607, many of which were required by federal legislation. However, it remains a relatively conservative state in this respect compared to California and others which have experimented with various alternative systems.
Direct election of U.S. Senators
Originally, U.S. Senators were chosen by the Virginia General Assembly. On February 19, 1914, legislation was introduced in the Virginia House of Delegates calling for the direct election of United States senators by the voters of Virginia. This followed enactment of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution on April 8, 1913. Virginia had not voted to ratify the amendment.
Ballot access
There have been many changes designed to make the electoral system more favorable to third parties. These included allowing write-in ballots in U.S. presidential elections. In 1998, SB 316 was passed, changing the number of signatures required for ballot access as follows: In statewide races, reducing the number of signatures required from 0.5% of the number of registered voters (approximately 17,000 in 1998) to a flat 10,000; In congressional district races, reducing the number of signatures required from 0.5% of the number of voters registered in the district (approximately 1,550 signatures based on the January 1, 1998, registered voter total) to 1,000; and Increasing the number of signatures required from each congressional district from 200 to 400.
Currently, the ballot access requirements are as follows: For a candidate for the United States Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General, 10,000 signatures, including the signatures of at least 400 qualified voters from each congressional district in the Commonwealth; For a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, 1,000 signatures; For a candidate for the Senate of Virginia, 250 signatures; For a candidate for the House of Delegates or for a constitutional office, 125 signatures; For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any county or city, 125 signatures; or if from an election district not at large containing 1,000 or fewer registered voters, 50 signatures; For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town which has more than 1,500 registered voters, 125 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures; For membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town which has 1,500 or fewer registered voters, no petition shall be required; For a candidate for director of a soil and water conservation district created pursuant to Article 3 (§ 10.1-506 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 10.1, 25 signatures; and For any other candidate, 50 signatures.
Voting system changes
In 2003, FairVote's analysis of Virginia's voting systems determined that amendments to the Constitution of Virginia might be required to implement instant runoff voting in statewide executive elections. § 24.2-673 of the Code of Virginia appears to require use of the plurality system in local executive office elections
HB 2739, a bill to implement instant runoff voting statewide, was introduced by Del. William K. Barlow in 2003 but stricken at his request. In 2004, Barlow introduced HB 956, a bill to allow IRV on a test basis in localities; it died in committee. However, Barlow remained confident that "instant runoff is going to happen soon". Virginians for Instant Runoff Voting organized in 2006 and launched plans to implement the system in more student government elections. IRV is used in single-winner student government elections at the University of Virginia, as promulgated in III(G)(3) of the Spring 2007 University Board of Elections Rules and Regulations. UVA's use of the system predates VIRV's formation.
Bills to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact were introduced in 2007, but they died in committee. A bill to study Virginia's methods of allocating electoral votes also died in committee. Virginia was considered a swing state in the 2012 U.S. Presidential election.
Approval voting appears to be prohibited by laws defining an "overvote" as follows: "'Overvote' means a ballot on which a voter casts a vote for a greater number of candidates or positions than the number for which he was lawfully entitled to vote and no vote shall be counted with respect to that office or issue".