Virginia House Constitutional Amendment 2
Session 2026
Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote.
Active
Passed Senate on Jan 16, 2026
Origin Chamber
House
Type
Constitutional Amendment
Bill Number
2
State
Virginia
Session
2026
Jessica L. Anderson
Cosponsor
John Chilton McAuliff
Cosponsor
Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie
Cosponsor
Kimberly Pope Adams
Cosponsor
Leslie Chambers Mehta
Cosponsor
Lily V. Franklin
Cosponsor
Lindsey Dougherty
Cosponsor
Mark D. Downey
Cosponsor
May Nivar
Cosponsor
Nicole Cole
Cosponsor
Stacey Annie Carroll
Cosponsor
Virgil Thornton
Cosponsor
Motion Text
Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 6-N)
House Roll Call Votes
Yes
John Chilton McAuliff
Yes
Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie
Yes
Didn't Vote
Nicole Cole
Yes
Stacey Annie Carroll
Yes
Summary
Proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote.
Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.
Sort by most recent
01/16/2026
Senate
Agreed to by Senate
01/16/2026
Senate
Passed Senate
01/16/2026
Senate
Senator McDougle Amendments rejected (Voice Vote)
01/16/2026
Senate
Reading of amendments waived (Voice Vote)
01/16/2026
Senate
Floor offered Senator McDougle Amendments
01/16/2026
Senate
Read third time
01/15/2026
Senate
Read second time
01/14/2026
Senate
Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 3-N 2-A)
01/14/2026
Senate
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/14/2026
House
Agreed to by House (65-Y 33-N 0-A)
01/14/2026
House
Engrossed by House
01/14/2026
House
Taken up
01/14/2026
House
Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 6-N)
11/17/2025
House
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
11/17/2025
House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100156D
Sources
VA Legislature
Open States
Record Created
Dec 14, 2025 3:02:03 PM
Record Updated
Jan 20, 2026 9:45:39 PM