SB1009 allows all local governments in Virginia to adopt ranked-choice voting (RCV) for their elections, including positions such as mayor and school-board members. Previously, RCV was limited to city-council and county-board elections. The bill also required the State Board of Elections to establish standards for RCV implementation and permitted adjustments to recount procedures to accommodate this voting method.
The Virginia State House of Delegates passed SB1009 on February 19, 2025 by a vote of 50 to 46. We have assigned pluses to the nays because RCV undermines election integrity and the electorate’s ability to choose the best candidate. By design, RCV favors moderate-to-leftist candidates who often fail to uphold the Constitution. This complex, multi-round system can result in winners who lack true plurality support and imposes ballot-marking requirements that may pressure voters to act against their conscience. States should firmly reject all attempts to implement this unconstitutional voting method.
