Virginia Constitutional Amendments 2026: 3 Ballot Questions on Nov. 3, What Each Changes

Virginia voters will decide three proposed constitutional amendments on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. Question 1 deals with reproductive freedom, Question 2 with marriage and Question 3 with the right to vote. This guide quotes each question as it will appear, lays out what a yes vote would change, and lists the voting rules and deadlines from Nov. 3 to Nov. 6.

What are Virginia’s three constitutional amendment questions?

The Department of Elections lists the questions on its page for the November 2026 proposed constitutional amendments. Amendments reach the ballot after the General Assembly passes them in two sessions with an election in between, as the Constitution of Virginia requires. Voters then decide.

Question 1: reproductive freedom

The ballot wording, as published by the Department of Elections:

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?

The amendment came from House Bill (HB) 781 of the 2026 Session, which says it takes effect on Jan. 1, 2027 if a majority of those voting approve it.

Question 2: marriage

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?

Acts of Assembly 2026, chapter 819, sets the same terms: a majority of those voting, effective Jan. 1, 2027.

Question 3: voting rights

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?

The effective date is set in the enabling act; check the Department of Elections explanation for Question 3.

What changes in Virginia if each amendment passes?

The table restates each question’s three parts in plain terms, using only the official ballot wording. A yes vote approves the amendment; a no vote leaves the constitution as it is.

Question	Topic	What the wording would do	Effective date
1	Reproductive freedom	Protect the freedom to make personal decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management and fertility care; protect doctors, nurses and patients from punishment for those decisions; allow restrictions on abortion access in the third trimester except when the patient’s health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive	Jan. 1, 2027, per HB 781
2	Marriage	Remove the ban on same-sex marriage; affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender or race; require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law	Jan. 1, 2027, per chapter 819
3	Voting rights	Provide for the fundamental right to vote; a person convicted of a felony cannot vote while incarcerated but automatically has the right to vote on release; the bar on voting by people found mentally incompetent would instead apply to people found to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting	Set in the enabling act; check the Department of Elections

The full text and the Department of Elections explanation of each question are on the pages listed under sources.

Which Virginia amendment is not on this ballot?

A redistricting amendment that Virginians voted on April 21, 2026 is not on the November ballot. Reporting on May 8, 2026 said that the Supreme Court of Virginia struck it down and kept the current maps in place.

What else is on the Virginia ballot?

Virginia’s U.S. Senate seat and its 11 U.S. House seats are also on the Nov. 3 ballot. Local referenda vary by locality, so check your sample ballot; our sample ballot lookup guide links each state’s official tool.

Virginia voting deadlines for Nov. 3 to Nov. 6

Date	What	Source
Sat., Oct. 31	Early in-person voting ends today at local registrar offices; check your registrar’s hours	Local registrars
Tue., Nov. 3, 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.	Polls are open; voters in line at 7:00 p.m. may vote	Code of Virginia § 24.2-603
Tue., Nov. 3	Mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day	Department of Elections
Tue., Nov. 3	Same-day registration is available on Election Day, with a provisional ballot	Department of Elections
Fri., Nov. 6, noon	Mail ballots must reach the general registrar, the third day after the election	Department of Elections

A mail ballot postmarked on Nov. 3 can still arrive until noon on Nov. 6. For other states, see mail ballot deadlines by state and what time polls close on Election Day 2026.

What ID does Virginia require at the polls?

The Department of Elections says Virginia law requires all voters to provide either an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the polls. Check the Department’s voter ID page for the list of accepted documents.

Print the Virginia checklist

The one-page checklist below has each question’s topic, the ID rule, the poll hours and the mail ballot dates. Mark Nov. 3 and Nov. 6 on the November 2026 printable calendar or a printable weekly planner.