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Becoming a registered voter and consistently showing up to the polls, or voting by mail, is one of the most important things you can do as an individual to support a cleaner, healthier Virginia Beach. You can check out our advocacy page with our current policy priorities we hope voters will consider when casting their ballots. Your vote is your choice, and LRNow does not endorse any political candidates. We do our best to educate all current office holders and candidates and are happy to be a resource for anyone that wants to know how to be a good environmental champion.
Registration Deadlines:
November General Election – 22 Days before Election Day
June Primary Election – 22 Days before election date
List of Virginia Beach’s Election Districts
City Council Districts Representatives – Serves 4-year terms. No term limits.
The following Virginia General Assembly representatives are currently serving their districts.
House of Delegate Districts – Serves 2-year terms. No term limits.
Virginia Senate Districts – Serves 4-year terms. No term limits.
Governor Of Virginia – Serves 4-year term. Can only serve 1 nonconsecutive term.
U.S House of Representatives: Serves 2-year terms. No term limits.
Virginia Beach is currently located entirely in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District.
U.S. Senate Representatives: Serves 6-year terms. No term limits.
Overview of Local, State, and Federal Election Systems
In 2022, Virginia Beach adopted a 10-1 council system. This new system implemented 10 new city council districts with representatives of each district elected solely by the residents within the boundaries of each district. The Mayor is still elected on a city-wide basis, hence the term “10-1.”
It is our position that this new system is incredibly beneficial for our local democracy and enhances the representation of all residents. It is especially important that we have a 10-1 system considering that Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia by both land area and population. This means we have incredible variation in local geography, business interests, as well as a diverse population of residents. For example, the southern portion of the City is mainly agricultural, and the Oceanfront is very urban and tourist focused. Therefore, it is very appropriate that they each have their own city council representative to advocate for their interests. This same idea applies to all areas of Virginia Beach.
It is also worth noting that this more representative city council system is in line with how we already conduct both state-level and federal elections. Virginia has 100 House of Delegate Districts and 40 Virginia Senate Districts. These bodies constitute the legislative branch of the Commonwealth, collectively called the Virginia General Assembly. The Governor is elected on a state-wide basis as the head of the Executive Branch.
Similarly, Virginia has 11 Congressional Districts, each responsible for electing 1 representative for the House Chamber. We also elect 2 Senators on a state-wide basis to represent the Commonwealth in the Senate Chamber. Together, these 2 chambers compose the United States Congress. For Presidential elections, Virginia awards its 11 Electoral College votes to the candidate who wins the state-wide popular vote.
Commissions and Boards
LRNow staff members serve on all of the following local, regional, and state boards and commissions.
Virginia Beach Green Ribbon Committee
Virginia Conservation Network Board of Directors
Virginia Beach Forest Conservation Study Group
Virginia Beach Open Space Committee
Virginia Beach Vision Board and Resiliency Committee
Resort Area Commission Green Committee
Parks and Recreation Foundation
PEARL HOMES are places where people care about our environment and want to do what they can to help protect our resources.
Lynnhaven River NOW recognizes schools providing outstanding environmental education as a Pearl School.
PEARL BUSINESSES are essential to truly move towards a more sustainable Virginia Beach and cleaner waters.
We all want to do our part to restore the health of all of our sacred waterways and protect them for future generations to enjoy.
SUSTAINABLE YARDS PROGRAM: Let us help you “green” your Lynnhaven watershed home. This unique program provides specific stormwater management practices to your yard at a significantly reduced cost to you.