Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia SJ 2
Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Mamie E. Locke (Democratic)
Cosponsors (19)
- Angelia Williams Graves (Democratic)
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic)
- Scott A. Surovell (Democratic)
- Kannan Srinivasan (Democratic)
- Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic)
- Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic)
- Russet Perry (Democratic)
- Stella G. Pekarsky (Democratic)
- Jeremy S. McPike (Democratic)
- David W. Marsden (Democratic)
- L. Louise Lucas (Democratic)
- Ghazala F. Hashmi
- Barbara A. Favola (Democratic)
- Adam P. Ebbin
- R. Creigh Deeds (Democratic)
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (Democratic)
- Jennifer B. Boysko (Democratic)
- Lamont Bagby (Democratic)
- Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED
Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.
Text versions
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:04 PM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 30, 2026 House | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 16, 2026 Senate | Agree to R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 15, 2026 Senate | Floor Amendments V | fail | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 14, 2026 Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Mar 31, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 30, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 30, 2026 · Senate
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ2ER) - Feb 2, 2026 · House
Agreed to by House (60-Y 34-N 0-A) - Feb 2, 2026 · House
Taken up - Jan 30, 2026 · House
Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 7-N) - Jan 20, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections - Jan 16, 2026 · Senate
Agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) - Jan 16, 2026 · Senate
Read third time - Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) - Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Senator McDougle, Ryan T. Amendments rejected (19-Y 20-N 0-A) - Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Reading of amendments waived - Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Floor offered Senator McDougle, Ryan T. Amendments - Jan 15, 2026 · Senate
Read second time - Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Read first time - Jan 14, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 3-N 3-A) - Nov 17, 2025 · Senate
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections - Nov 17, 2025 · Senate
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100361D