The Virginia General Assembly comprises two houses: the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates. The Senate is the upper house, and the House of Delegates is the lower house. This year, both houses stand for election.

The General Assembly was established by the British colonial governor in 1619. Initially it was a unicameral body composed of the governor, the governor’s council, and twenty-two elected burgesses. It became a bicameral body in 1642 when the Governor’s Council and House of Burgesses were split to become the upper and lower houses respectively. When the American colonies declared independence in 1776, the Governor’s Council was renamed the Council of State and moved to the executive branch (then dissolved in 1851), the Senate was created to be the new upper house, and the House of Burgesses was renamed to the House of Delegates. The General Assembly is the oldest continuously operating legislature in the western hemisphere.

There are forty seats in the Senate. Senators serve four-year terms with no term limits. Currently, the Democratic Party holds a 22-18 majority. There are one hundred seats in the House of Delegates. Delegates serve two-year terms with no term limits. Currently, the Republican Party holds a 49-46 majority and there are 5 vacant seats.

These are the first General Assembly elections since the post-census redistricting; all districts have been redrawn and renumbered. Technically, all races are open races (since all districts are technically new districts). For the purposes of these endorsements and recommendations, incumbent senators and delegates appearing on the ballot are treated as incumbents in their new districts.

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Article VII Section 5 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia requires that local governments be governed by an elective body. In Loudoun County, this body takes the form of a Board of Supervisors that has responsibility for all local legislation, budgeting, and appointments. It operates under the authorities and limits set forth by the Virginia General Assembly.

The board is composed of nine members, all of whom serve concurrent four-year terms on the same election schedule as the Virginia Senate. The chairman is elected in a county-wide at-large race, and the remaining eight members are elected by voters in each of the eight named county districts. Currently, the Democratic Party holds a six-seat majority, and the Republican party holds three seats.

This is the first board election since redistricting; district borders have changed. The Blue Ridge District has also been renamed to the Little River District.

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Six local races appear on this year’s Loudoun County ballots, including five races for local constitutional offices and one for the three elective seats on the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors.

Constitutional Offices

Article VII Section 4 of the Virginia Constitution establishes five offices that are generally filled by elections in each locality—treasurer, sheriff, commonwealth’s attorney, clerk of the circuit court, and commissioner of revenue. Those elected to these offices serve four-year terms, except the circuit court clerk who serves an eight-year term. In Loudoun County this year, all five offices are up for election.

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