Municipal elections; shifting elections to November. (SB1157)

Introduced By

Sen. Lionell Spruill (D-Chesapeake) with support from 7 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:

Those copatrons are Del. Lamont Bagby (D-Richmond), Del. Kelly Fowler (D-Virginia Beach), Del. Cliff Hayes (D-Chesapeake), Del. Clinton Jenkins (D-Suffolk), Del. Don Scott (D-Portsmouth), Del. Shelly Simonds (D-Newport News), Del. Rip Sullivan (D-Arlington)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Shifting municipal elections to November. Shifts all municipal elections for city and town council and school board from May to November, beginning with elections held after January 1, 2022. Read the Bill »

Status

03/12/2021: signed by governor

History

DateAction
01/07/2021Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21100131D
01/07/2021Referred to Committee on Local Government
01/15/2021Impact statement from DPB (SB1157)
01/18/2021Reported from Local Government (12-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
01/19/2021Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/20/2021Amendment by Senator Petersen withdrawn
01/20/2021Read second time and engrossed
01/20/2021Impact statement from DHCD/CLG (SB1157)
01/21/2021Read third time and passed Senate (19-Y 19-N) (see vote tally)
01/21/2021Chair votes Yea
02/02/2021Placed on Calendar
02/02/2021Read first time
02/02/2021Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
02/08/2021Continued to Special Session 1 in Privileges and Elections
02/10/2021Reported from Privileges and Elections (13-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
02/12/2021Read second time
02/15/2021Read third time
02/15/2021Passed House (50-Y 44-N 1-A)
02/15/2021VOTE: Passage (50-Y 44-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
02/17/2021Enrolled
02/17/2021Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1157ER)
02/17/2021Impact statement from DPB (SB1157ER)
02/17/2021Signed by President
02/18/2021Signed by Speaker
02/22/2021Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on February 22, 2021
02/22/2021G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021
03/12/2021G Approved by Governor-Chapter 103 (effective 7/1/21)
03/12/2021G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0103)

Comments

edward writes:

High handed, High horse idea by Democratic partisan ideologues:

see story https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/articles/bill-heading-to-governor-would-end-may-elections-in-scottsville/

Ian writes:

We should absolutely move local elections to November.
Having elections away from the date that most people expect elections to take place has allowed local politicians to play games with public knowledge and subvert the will of the people. If most people aren't paying attention to an election that takes place in the spring, all a local politician has to do is tell the most ardent supporters about their election while not pushing voting for the general public. The end result is that a few ideologues take control of a city even when the majority do not approve of their policies.

james fleming writes:

Absolutely move elections to November.

Gregory writes:

Moving local elections to November is a dumb idea that will only serve to drown out local issues with overwhelming state and national issues. They are not the same.

Having run for local office myself, I know how important it is for the comparatively mundane local issues to have their own spotlight for local people to focus on them. Our local elections are non-partisan, and that will be completely nullified if they are held simultaneously with the highly partisan state and national elections.

Saving money isn't worth the negative effects that November local elections would cause. The whole idea smacks of breaking something that currently works.