Northam signs bill shifting municipal elections from May to November
Ana Ley, The Virginian-Pilot
Gov. Ralph Northam has signed a bill that shifts municipal elections from May to November, a change lawmakers hope will boost voter turnout.
The new law, which kicks in Jan. 1, 2022, will affect races in Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk and Chesapeake. It affects nearly a million voters across Virginia, according to an estimate from the Virginia Public Access Project.
Senate Bill 1157, sponsored by Senator Lionel Spruill, passed the Senate in January thanks to a tie-breaking vote from Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. In February, it narrowly passed the House by a vote of 50-44, with one abstention.