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Virginia State Senate
| Virginia State Senate | |
| General Information | |
| Party control: | Democrat |
| Session start: | January 8, 2025 |
| Session end: | February 22, 2025 |
| Term length: | 4 years |
| Term limits: | None |
| Redistricting: | Commission |
| Salary: | $18,000/year for senators. $17,640/year for delegates. + per diem |
| Members | |
| Total: | 40 |
| Democrats: | 21 |
| Republicans: | 19 |
| Other: | 0 |
| Vacancies: | 0 |
| Leadership | |
| President: | Winsome Earle-Sears (R) |
| Maj. Leader: | Scott Surovell (D) |
| Min. Leader: | Ryan McDougle (R) |
| Elections | |
| Last election: | November 7, 2023 |
| Next election: | November 2, 2027 |
The Virginia State Senate is the upper chamber of the Virginia General Assembly. Alongside the Virginia House of Delegates, it forms the legislative branch of the Virginia state government and works alongside the governor of Virginia to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Virginia State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.
The Virginia State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Richmond, Virginia.
This page contains the following information on the Virginia State Senate.
- Which party controls the chamber
- The chamber's current membership
- Partisan control of the chamber over time
- Elections in the chamber and how vacancies are filled
- A district map
- How redistricting works in the state
- Legislation currently under consideration
- Legislative session dates
- Legislative procedures, such as veto overrides and the state budget process
- A list of committees
Party control
Current partisan control
The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Virginia State Senate as of September 2025:
| Party | As of September 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 21 | |
| Republican Party | 19 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Members
Leadership
The lieutenant governor serves as presiding officer of the Senate. In the event of the lieutenant governor's absence, the president pro tempore becomes presiding officer. The president pro tempore is elected by the Senate.[1]
Leadership and members
- Senate president: Winsome Earle-Sears (R)
- Senate president pro tempore: Louise Lucas (D)
- Majority leader: Scott Surovell (D)
- Minority leader: Ryan McDougle (R)
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[2] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $18,000/year for senators. $17,640/year for delegates. | $213/day |
Swearing in dates
Virginia legislators assume office the second Wednesday in January after the election.[3]
Membership qualifications
In order to serve in the Virginia General Assembly, candidates must meet the following qualifications:[4]
- Be a citizen of the United States.
- Be at least twenty-one years of age on or before the date of the general or special election for the office sought
- Be a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the year immediately preceding the election
- Be a resident of the district they are seeking to represent
- Be a qualified voter in the district they are seeking to represent
- Not have been convicted of a felony (unless voting rights have been officially restored)
- Not have been adjudicated mentally incompetent (unless voting rights have been officially restored)
Historical party control
Democrats won a 21-19 majority in the Virginia State Senate in 2019, gaining control of the chamber for the first time since 2007.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Virginia Senate following every general election from 1991 to 2023. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Virginia State Senate election results: 1991-2023
| Party | 91 | 95[5] | 99 | 03 | 07 | 11[6] | 15 | 19 | 23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 22 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 21 |
| Republicans | 18 | 20 | 21 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 19 |
See also
| Elections | Virginia State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Virginia General Assembly, "Senate of Virginia," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Virginia Legislative Information System, "Code of Virginia - § 24.2-214. Election and term of Senators." accessed January 6, 2022
- ↑ Virginia General Assembly, "Certificate of Candidate Qualification," accessed May 23, 2025
- ↑ Chamber governed by a power-sharing agreement.
- ↑ Control of the Senate varied between the 2011 and 2015 elections. Republicans controlled the chamber from 2012 through 2013, with a Republican lieutenant governor serving as a tie-breaking vote. Democrats won the lieutenant governorship in 2013, giving them control for the first half of 2014. One Democrat resigned in June 2014 and Republicans won the August 2014 special election, giving the party a 21-19 majority.
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "2015 November Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Virginia 2011 Candidates," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Virginia 2007 Candidates," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Virginia 2003 Candidates," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Virginia Law Library, "§ 24.2-216. Filling vacancies in the General Assembly," accessed February 16, 2021 (Statute 24.2-216, Virginia Code)
- ↑ Virginia Law Library, "§ 24.2-682. Times for special elections," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Virginia's Legislative Information System, "HJ 615 Constitutional amendment; Virginia Redistricting Commission (first reference)," accessed November 18, 2020
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Virginia," accessed May 8, 2015
- ↑ 13News Now, "Virginia has new voting maps after redistricting process finishes," December 30, 2021
- ↑ ABC 7, "Virginia bipartisan redistricting panel starts off with partisan maps," September 20, 2021
- ↑ El Paso Inc., "First redistricting map drafts leave some lawmakers unhappy," September 2, 2021
- ↑ Virginia Mercury, "Virginia’s Redistricting Commission has its first draft maps. They look… normal?" September 2, 2021
- ↑ Associated Press, "Proposed congressional maps give Dems an edge in Virginia," December 9, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Virginia's 2010 Census Population Totals, Including First Look at Race and Hispanic Origin Data for Legislative Redistricting," February 3, 2011
- ↑ Washington Examiner, "Virginia House advances new redistricting plan," April 25, 2011
- ↑ Richmond Times-Dispatch, "General Assembly approves redistricting plan," April 29, 2011 (dead link)
- ↑ Richmond Times-Dispatch, "McDonnell signs redistricting bill," April 30, 2011
- ↑ pilotonline.com, "Lawmakers set to return for veto session," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ David Sherfinski, Washington Times, "Terry McAuliffe’s 2015 Va. agenda includes economics, health care," January 25, 2015
- ↑ Daily Press, "Virginia General Assembly opens, lawmakers ease back into action," January 8, 2014
- ↑ WRIC, "Virginia General Assembly To Convene For 2013 Session," January 9, 2013
- ↑ ncsl.org, "2012 Legislative Session Calendar," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Virginia General Assembly to convene legislative redistricting session," April 3, 2011
- ↑ Post Local, "Va. assembly to vote Friday on Supreme Court, appeals judges," July 29, 2011
- ↑ Virginia General Assembly, "2010 Session calendar," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ Virginia Law Library, "Constitution of Virginia," accessed February 16, 2021
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
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