Serving the people of
Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth,
Suffolk & Virginia Beach, VA

Vote YES – Three Virginia Constitutional Amendments (2026)

Where Does the League Stand on This Issue?

The American Association of University Women & the
Virginia League of Women Voters
encourage a “Yes” vote on the
three Virginia Constitutional Amendments

 

Spread the Word – VOTE  YES! Click to print your own handouts

These amendments are on the ballot for the NOVEMBER, 2026 election.

Question 1 – Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights – Proposed Language

“Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) protect the freedom to make personal decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care; (ii) protect doctors, nurses, and patients from being punished for these decisions; and (iii) allow for restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient’s health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive?”

Virginia’s 2026 Question 1 is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment designed to enshrine a fundamental right to reproductive freedom into the Virginia ConstitutionIts primary purpose is to protect the ability of every individual to make personal decisions regarding prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care without government interference

Question 2 – Marriage Equality

Marriage Equality – Proposed Language

“Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?”

The Commonwealth of Virginia is seeking to enshrine marriage equality in its Constitution through the 2026 Marriage Equality Amendment (also known as Question 2) primarily to protect the right to marry whom one chooses against potential federal legal changes and to remove an outdated, unenforceable ban that currently exists in the state charter

Question 3 – Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Upon Release Amendment

Voting Rights Restoration – Proposed Language

“Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended (i) to provide for the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth, (ii) to revise the qualifications of voters so that a person convicted of a felony is not entitled to vote during his period of incarceration but is automatically invested with the right to vote upon release from incarceration, and (iii) to update the existing prohibition on voting by persons found to be mentally incompetent to instead apply to persons who have been found to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting?”

Virginia’s proposed constitutional amendment Question 3 is the Right to Vote Amendment, designed to establish a fundamental right to vote in the state constitution and automatically restore voting rights to individuals convicted of felonies immediately upon their release from incarceration.

  • Automatic Restoration: Currently, Virginians with felony convictions must petition the governor for rights restoration; Question 3 eliminates this requirement, granting voting rights automatically once prison sentences are served.
  • Disability Protections: The amendment replaces outdated language regarding mental incapacity, requiring a specific court finding that a person does not understand the act of voting before their right to vote can be revoked.
  • Legal Context: While a federal court ruling in early 2026 already changed how voting rights are lost for certain felonies under the Virginia Readmission Act, Question 3 seeks to permanently enshrine these protections and the automatic restoration process into the state constitution to prevent future political changes from affecting them.