2021 Virginia elections explained

Country:Virginia
Previous Election:2020 Virginia elections
Previous Year:2020
Next Election:2022 Virginia elections
Next Year:2022
Election Date:November 2, 2021
Turnout:54.9% 7.7[1]

The 2021 Virginia elections were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. Republicans swept all three statewide races and won back control of the House of Delegates in an upset. Primary elections were held on June 8, 2021.[2] It was the first state gubernatorial and legislative election to be held since the passage of several voting rights bills into law by the Democratic trifecta in the 161st Virginia General Assembly, including expansions of early voting, designation of Election Day as a paid state holiday, legalization of automatic and same-day voter registration, the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, and repeal of Voter ID laws.

Governor

See main article: 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election. Incumbent Democratic governor Ralph Northam was unable to run for reelection, as the Constitution of Virginia prohibits the officeholder from serving consecutive terms. Glenn Youngkin won the gubernatorial election against former governor Terry McAuliffe.

Lieutenant governor

See main article: 2021 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election. Incumbent lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax was eligible to run for a second term, but instead ran for governor, being defeated in the Democratic primary.[3] Though Fairfax won the last lieutenant governor race with almost 53% of the vote, Republican Winsome Sears won this election by almost two points, becoming the first woman, the first woman of color, and the first Jamaican American chosen for the post.

Attorney general

See main article: 2021 Virginia Attorney General election. Incumbent attorney general Mark Herring ran for re-election to a third term. He was re-elected in 2017 with 53.3% of the vote. A primary challenge by delegate Jay Jones was supported by Governor Ralph Northam, as well as several federal and state legislators.[4] Jason Miyares was elected the first Cuban American and Hispanic Attorney General of Virginia.

House of Delegates

See main article: 2021 Virginia House of Delegates election. All 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates were up for election.[5] The chamber was controlled by Democrats after the 2019 elections, holding a majority of ten seats. The chamber returned to the Republican Party following the 2021 elections, electing Todd Gilbert as the Speaker of the House.

+colspan=5 House of Delegates
PartyBeforeAfterChange
Democratic5548 7
Republican4552 7
Total100100

Notes and References

  1. SUMMARY OF VIRGINIA REGISTRATION & TURNOUT STATISTICS. en. Virginia Department of Elections. 2023-03-22.
  2. Web site: Kilgore. Ed. 2020-12-14. Is Terry McAuliffe the Best Virginia Democrats Can Offer for Governor?. 2021-01-02. Intelligencer. en-us.
  3. Web site: Lt. Gov. Fairfax announces he will run for governor in 2021. richmondfreepress.com. Dec 16, 2020.
  4. Web site: Otey . Jazmine . Gov. Ralph Northam endorses Jay Jones over incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring . WSLS . en . 4 March 2021.
  5. Web site: Welcome to the Virginia General Assembly Website. - Home. 2021-01-11. virginiageneralassembly.gov.