Virginia Beach Court Voids 10-1 Voting System Pending November Referendum

A Virginia Beach circuit court judge ruled in June 2025 that the city's 2023 adoption of a 10-1 voting system ordinance is void because the state General Assembly did not approve the necessary charter amendment. This 10-1 system, which replaced the charter-mandated 7-3-1 model, allows residents to vote for one council member from their district and the mayor at-large, aiming to improve minority representation. Despite the ruling voiding the ordinance prospectively, the results of the 2022 and 2024 elections under the 10-1 system remain valid. The legal dispute continues as voters will decide in a November referendum whether to keep the 10-1 system or revert to the 7-3-1 model, with the city council and state legislators divided over the issue. The Virginia Beach NAACP emphasized that the court ruling does not negate the 10-1 system’s legality under federal law, citing a 2021 federal court decision that found the 7-3-1 system violated voting rights law. The ruling highlights ongoing tensions between local governance, state legislative authority, and federal voting rights compliance.