State lawmakers from Virginia Beach have filed bills to codify the 10-district voting system voters backed in a referendum.
The bills would amend the city charter to reflect what is known as the 10-1 voting system, replacing language for the 7-3-1 system that remains on the books.
In November, 53.4 % of voters chose the 10-1 over a “modified” version of the 7-3-1. City Council voted to support the result and ask for the charter change.
Another set of bills proposes a general law change to allow the 10-1 system to proceed if there isn’t enough support to pass the charter amendment, which needs two-thirds support in each chamber.
Past efforts to place the 10-1 in the charter failed, though that occurred in a different political climate and before the referendum.
“I’m just waiting for Richmond to do what they need to do,” Councilmember Jennifer Rouse said, adding that she hopes everyone will honor the referendum outcome.
The 10-1 system has been used in the past two elections for City Council and School Board after a federal judge found the 7-3-1 system denied minority voters the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice under the U.S. Voting Rights Act.
When the city was unable to change its charter, a state judge found the city erred in implementing the 10-1 without that change.
A state lawsuit and renewed federal litigation are on hold while lawmakers sort it out.
Del. Kelly Fowler, a Democrat from Virginia Beach, is carrying a charter change bill in the House of Delegates [HB187].
Sen. Aaron Rouse, a Democrat who is Jennifer Rouse’s husband and a former member of council, is carrying a Senate version [SB681].
The bills would amend the charter to convert the voting system to 10 single-member districts and the mayor.
Fowler said there are concerns that amending the charter may face opposition in the Senate.
“The hope is that we will be done with the issue of our district system since the people have spoken for 10-1 through the referendum, and we will enshrine it in our charter and we’ll be done with it,” Fowler said.
Del. Alex Askew, a Virginia Beach Democrat, is carrying a bill [HB168] proposing a general law change allowing localities to convert at-large seats to single-member districts when doing so in response to a court order. Aaron Rouse is carrying a Senate bill [SB51].
These would require a majority to pass, not two-thirds.
Candidates for City Council and School Board are filing paperwork and gathering signatures to run under the 10-1 system.
Virginia Beach Deputy City Attorney Chris Boynton said the city is preparing to implement what comes out of the General Assembly. He said a general law change would be “another path” to achieve the referendum's result.
“The expectation is that the 2026 elections will happen using the same districts as were used in the 2022 and 2024 elections,” Boynton said.
Court processes related to the voting system in Virginia Beach are on hold, for now.
Shortly after the November referendum, U.S District Court Judge Raymond A. Jackson ordered a stay in the federal case after voters supported the 10-1.
On Wednesday, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones’s office withdrew his predecessor’s arguments that had been filed in the federal case supporting a 7-3-1 form. That step had been promised on his first day in office.
