HB168 • 2026

Election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts.

An Act to amend and reenact § 15.2-1400 of the Code of Virginia, relating to election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts; emergency.

Elections

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Askew
Last action: 2026-03-10
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact date when the law becomes enforceable (after July 1, 2026) is specified in the official source material.

Election Rules for Large Cities

This law requires cities with populations over 400,000 to elect their governing body members using single-member districts starting after July 1, 2026.

What This Bill Does

Requires cities with a population of 400,000 or more to use individual single-member districts for elections of the governing body's members.
Allows the presiding officer of such governing bodies to be elected city-wide rather than from a district.
Requires any affected governing body that does not already meet these requirements to establish and adjust their representation according to state law.

Who It Names or Affects

Cities with populations over 400,000
Voters in these cities who elect governing body members

Terms To Know

Single-member districts: A voting area where only one person is elected to represent that district.
Presiding officer: The leader of a governing body, like a mayor or chairman.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify how the districts should be drawn.
Only applies to cities with populations over 400,000 as of the next census count.
No further reapportionment of such districts by the governing body shall be permitted until the next decennial census.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB168G

2026-03-04 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: The amendment adds language to declare an emergency situation for the bill and makes it effective immediately upon passage.

Adds 'emergency' after 'districts' in the title of the bill.
Inserts a statement declaring that an emergency exists and the act is in force from its passage.

The exact implications of declaring an emergency are not detailed beyond making the act effective immediately.

Bill History

2026-03-10 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-10 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-10 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 10 (Effective 3/10/2026)
2026-03-10 Governor
Governor's recommendation adopted
2026-03-10 House
Reenrolled
2026-03-10 House
Reenrolled bill text (HB168ER2)
2026-03-10 Senate
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (22-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-10 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0010)
2026-03-06 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB168)
2026-03-06 House
House concurred in Governor's recommendation (67-Y 30-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 04, 2026
2026-03-04 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 11, 2026
2026-03-04 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-04 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-04 House
Enrolled
2026-03-04 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB168ER)
2026-03-04 Governor
Governor's recommendation received by House
2026-02-27 House
Senate substitute agreed to by House (66-Y 30-N 0-A)
2026-02-26 Local Government
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB168)
2026-02-25 Senate
Read third time
2026-02-25 Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
2026-02-25 Local Government
Local Government Substitute agreed to
2026-02-25 Senate
Passed Senate with substitute (23-Y 17-N 0-A)
2026-02-24 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-24 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-24 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-24 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-23 Local Government
Reported from Local Government with substitute (9-Y 6-N)
2026-02-23 Senate
Senate committee offered
2026-02-23 Local Government
Committee substitute printed 26108414D-S1
2026-02-04 Counties, Cities and Towns
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB168)
2026-01-30 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-01-30 Local Government
Referred to Committee on Local Government
2026-01-29 House
Read third time and passed House (75-Y 24-N 0-A)
2026-01-28 House
Read second time
2026-01-28 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-01-28 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-01-27 House
Read first time
2026-01-23 Subcommittee #3
House subcommittee offered
2026-01-23 Subcommittee #3
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 1-N)
2026-01-23 Counties, Cities and Towns
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (15-Y 4-N)
2026-01-23 Counties, Cities and Towns
Committee substitute printed 26105950D-H1
2026-01-20 Subcommittee #3
Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #3
2026-01-20 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB168)
2026-01-06 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103668D
2026-01-06 Counties, Cities and Towns
Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

Official Summary Text

Election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts.
Requires every locality with a population of 400,000 or greater to elect the members of its governing body by individual single-member districts. The bill provides that a governing body's presiding officer may be elected at large. The bill further provides that any such governing body that does not already meet the requirements of the bill shall establish the required districts and shall reapportion the representation in the governing body in accordance with general law. Finally, the bill provides that for any such governing body that, prior to 2026, adopted an ordinance with a map to elect its members by individual single-member districts, such ordinance shall become effective upon the effective date of this act. This bill is identical to SB 51 and contains an emergency clause.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend and reenact §
15.2-1400
of the Code of Virginia, relating to election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts; emergency.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
15.2-1400
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
15.2-1400
. Governing bodies.
A. The qualified voters of every locality shall elect a governing body for such locality. The date, place, number, term, and other details of the election shall be as specified by law, general or special. Qualification for office is provided in Article 4 (§
15.2-1522
et seq.) of Chapter 15.
B. The governing body of every locality shall be composed of not fewer than three nor more than 11 members.
C. Chairmen, mayors, supervisors, and councilmen are subject to the prohibitions set forth in §§
15.2-1534
and
15.2-1535
.
D. A governing body may punish or fine a member of the governing body for disorderly behavior.
E. Notwithstanding the provisions of §§
24.2-222
and
24.2-222.1
, any city or town charter, or any other provision of law, general or special, beginning with any election held after January 1, 2022, elections for mayor, members of a local governing body, or members of an elected school board shall be held at the time of the November general election for terms to commence January 1.
F. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, general or special, in a locality that imposes district-based or ward-based residency requirements for members of the governing body, the member elected from each district or ward shall be elected by the qualified voters of that district or ward and not by the locality at large.
G. Notwithstanding the provisions of any local government charter, the provisions of §
24.2-304.1
, or any other provision of law, general or special, for municipal elections held after July 1, 2026, every locality with a population of 400,000 or greater shall elect its members of the governing body by individual single-member districts, each of which shall be substantially equally populated. A governing body's presiding officer may be elected at large. Any such governing body that does not already meet the requirements of this subsection shall establish the required districts and shall reapportion the representation in the governing body in accordance with Article 2.1 (§
24.2-304.1
et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title 24.2. No further reapportionment of such districts by the governing body shall be permitted until the next decennial census.
2. That for any governing body that, prior to 2026, adopted an ordinance with a map to elect its members by individual single-member districts, such ordinance shall become effective upon the effective date of this act.
3. That an emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.