Bill Sponsor
Virginia Senate Bill 176
Session 2026
Elections; ranked choice voting; locally elected offices, report.
Active
Active
Passed Senate on Feb 2, 2026
First Action
Jan 8, 2026
Latest Action
Feb 5, 2026
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
176
State
Virginia
Session
2026
Sponsorship by Party
Summary
A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-673.1 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal the fourth enactment of Chapter 1054 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020, relating to elections; conduct of election; ranked choice voting; locally elected offices; report. Elections; conduct of election; ranked choice voting; locally elected offices; report. Expands the option to use ranked choice voting from only elections for county board of supervisors and city councils to any local governing body. The bill requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted by ranked choice voting. The bill provides for copying damaged or defective ballots that cannot be properly counted by electronic voting systems. The bill allows localities to request risk-limiting audits of elections conducted using ranked choice voting and provides that no such election may be included in any random drawing required to satisfy the general requirements for risk-limiting audits. The bill specifies that the State Board is required to produce generalized voter education materials on ranked choice voting and is also permitted to create and modify recount procedures to the extent necessary to accommodate a recount of an election. The bill directs the Department of Elections to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2027 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Finally, the bill repeals the 2031 expiration of the option to use ranked choice voting in elections, making such option permanent.
Documents (1)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB176)
Actions (14)
02/05/2026
House
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
02/05/2026
House
Read first time
02/05/2026
House
Placed on Calendar
02/02/2026
Senate
Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
01/30/2026
Senate
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
01/30/2026
Senate
Read second time
01/30/2026
Senate
Read second time
01/29/2026
Senate
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
01/29/2026
Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
01/29/2026
Senate
Rules suspended
01/27/2026
Senate
Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 5-N 1-A)
01/26/2026
Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB176)
01/08/2026
Senate
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/08/2026
Senate
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104635D
Sources
Record Created
Jan 20, 2026 9:49:53 PM
Record Updated
Feb 8, 2026 9:37:03 PM