Voters in Virginia Beach will encounter a referendum question on the Nov. 4 and early voting ballots regarding how city council members are elected. The City of Virginia Beach is providing neutral resources to help residents make informed decisions.
The ballot question asks: “Should the method of city council elections set forth in the Virginia Beach City Charter be changed from a modified 7-3-1 system to a 10-1 system?”
A “yes” vote supports the 10-1 system, which was used in the 2022 and 2024 city council elections. In this model, the city is divided into ten districts, with each district electing one council member and the mayor elected at-large by all voters.
A “no” vote supports retaining the modified 7-3-1 system as described in the current city charter, following changes made by state law in 2021. Under this system, there are seven districts with each electing one council member, while three additional council members and the mayor are elected at-large.
To assist voters, information about the referendum is available on the City’s Referendum webpage. Staff from the City Communications Office are also sharing details at pop-up tables located at recreation centers, libraries, and community events throughout Virginia Beach. The schedule for these outreach efforts can be found at https://virginiabeach.gov/Referendum.
Virginia law allows same-day voter registration; those who register on Election Day will cast provisional ballots. Voters who cannot or do not wish to vote on Nov. 4 may cast their ballots early in person or by mail until Nov. 1.
In-person voting is available at the Voter Registration & Elections Office located in Building 14 of the Virginia Beach Municipal Center at 2449 Princess Anne Road. Additional information about polling locations and hours can be found at https://voter.virginiabeach.gov.
For further details about voting procedures in Virginia Beach, residents are encouraged to visit https://voter.virginiabeach.gov.
