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SJ27 • 2026

Constitutional amendment; qualifications of voters, United States citizenship (first reference).

<p class=ldtitle>Proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to qualifications of voters; United States citizenship.</p>

Elections
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Cifers
Last action
2026-01-27
Official status
Failed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the timeline or process of enactment beyond passing by indefinitely in Privileges and Elections. Additionally, it does not address how to handle voting rights for U.S. citizens living overseas.

Constitutional amendment; qualifications of voters, United States citizenship

This amendment proposes changing Virginia's Constitution to require that only U.S. citizens can vote.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes a change to the Constitution of Virginia.
  • Adds a requirement for voters to be United States citizens.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to vote in Virginia elections
  • The government agencies responsible for enforcing voting laws

Terms To Know

Constitutional amendment
A change made to a country's or state’s main set of rules, the Constitution.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear when this amendment will be officially enacted.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-27 Privileges and Elections

    Passed by indefinitely in Privileges and Elections (8-Y 6-N)

  2. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Prefiled and laid on Clerk's desk; Offered 01-14-2026 26100911D

  3. 2026-01-13 Privileges and Elections

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Official Summary Text

Constitutional amendment (first reference); qualifications of voters; United States citizenship.
Proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia to clarify that a person who has not obtained United States citizenship either at birth or through naturalization is not qualified to vote.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to qualifications of voters; United States citizenship.

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, a majority of the members elected to each house agreeing, That the following amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same hereby is, proposed and referred to the General Assembly at its first regular session held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates for its concurrence in conformity with the provisions of Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia, namely:

Amend Section 1 of Article II of the Constitution of Virginia as follows:

ARTICLE II

FRANCHISE AND OFFICERS

Section 1. Qualifications of voters.

In elections by the people, the qualifications of voters shall be as follows: Each voter shall be a citizen of the United States, shall be eighteen years of age, shall fulfill the residence requirements set forth in this section, and shall be registered to vote pursuant to this article. No person who has been convicted of a felony shall be qualified to vote unless his civil rights have been restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. As prescribed by law, no person adjudicated to be mentally incompetent shall be qualified to vote until his competency has been reestablished.

Any person who has
not obtained United States citizenship either at birth or through naturalization shall not be
qualified to vote.

The residence requirements shall be that each voter shall be a resident of the Commonwealth and of the precinct where he votes. Residence, for all purposes of qualification to vote, requires both domicile and a place of abode. The General Assembly may provide for persons who are employed overseas, and their spouses and dependents residing with them, and who are qualified to vote except for relinquishing their place of abode in the Commonwealth while overseas, to vote in the Commonwealth subject to conditions and time limits defined by law. The General Assembly may provide for persons who are qualified to vote except for having moved their residence from one precinct to another within the Commonwealth to continue to vote in a former precinct subject to conditions and time limits defined by law. The General Assembly may also provide, in elections for President and Vice President of the United States, alternatives to registration for new residents of the Commonwealth.

Any person who will be qualified with respect to age to vote at the next general election shall be permitted to register in advance and also to vote in any intervening primary or special election.