Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoes another RCV bill
by Staff
Earlier this week, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed a ranked-choice voting bill that passed the legislature along party lines. Governor Youngkin previously vetoed a similar bill last year.
Governor Youngkin had this to say after vetoing Senate Bill 1009:
“Before further codifying RCV procedures, more data is needed on its impact and benefits. Establishing additional statutory requirements at this stage risks institutionalizing a system that has yet to prove its effectiveness in broader elections.”
The bill would have provided uniform procedures for conducting ranked-choice voting elections in the state and forced the State Board of Elections to assess the viability of introducing RCV.
Unfortunately, ranked-choice voting has already taken hold in parts of the state. Arlington County uses RCV for school board primary races, and the Charlottesville City Council voted to implement it in City Council primary elections starting this year. This highlights the urgency of banning RCV, just as Wyoming and West Virginia did earlier this month.
While this bill would not have implemented ranked-choice voting statewide, it would have encouraged the expansion of RCV in the state and normalized its use. We’re thankful to Governor Youngkin for vetoing Senate Bill 1009.