Senate of Virginia

Senate of Virginia
Senate of Virginia
Virginia General Assembly
Type
Type	Upper House
Term limits	None
History
New session started	January 8, 2020
Leadership
President	Justin Fairfax (D) ; since January 13, 2018
President pro tempore	Louise Lucas (D) ; since January 8, 2020
Majority Leader	Dick Saslaw (D) ; since January 8, 2020
Minority Leader	Tommy Norment (R) ; since January 8, 2020
Clerk	Susan Schaar ; since January 1990
Structure
Seats	40
Political groups	Majority Democratic (21); Minority Republican (18); Independent (1);
Length of term	4 years
Authority	Article IV, Virginia Constitution
Salary	$18,000/year + per diem
Elections
Last election	November 5, 2019; (40 seats)
Next election	November 7, 2023; (40 seats)
Redistricting	Legislative Control
Meeting place
	State Senate Chamber; Virginia State Capitol; Richmond, Virginia
Website
	Virginia General Assembly

The Senate of Virginia is a part of the Virginia General Assembly. The general assembly is the legislature for Virginia. The Senate of Virginia is the upper house, while the Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house. The senate has 40 members called senators. The leader of the senate is called the president and is also the lieutenant governor. The current president is Justin Fairfax. There is a second position called the Pro tempore if the president is absent or unavailable.

The senate holds elections every 4 years. The last election was on November 5, 2019 and the next election is on November 7, 2023.

Composition

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority party)		Total

	Democratic	Republican		Vacant
1900–1904	38	2	40	0
1904–1916	35	5	40	0
1916–1920	36	4	40	0
1920–1924	34	6	40	0
1924–1928	39	1	40	0
1928–1944	38	2	40	0
1944–1948	37	3	40	0
1948–1952	38	2	40	0
1952–1960	37	3	40	0
1960–1964	38	2	40	0
1964–1968	37	3	40	0
1968–1970	34	6	40	0
1970–1974	33	7	40	0
1974–1976	34	6	40	0
1976–1978	35	5	40	0
1978–1980	34	6	40	0
1980–1984	31	9	40	0
1984–1988	32	8	40	0
1988–1992	30	10	40	0
1992–1996	22	18	40	0
1996–2000	20	20	40	0
2000–2004	19	21	40	0
2004–2008	17	23	40	0
2008–2012	22	18	40	0
2012–2016	20	20	40	0
2016–2020	19	21	40	0
2020–2024	21	19	40	0

↑ Amanda Chase is an enrolled Republican, and was elected in 2019 on the Republican line. On November 22, 2019, she announced that she would not caucus with the Republicans in the upcoming Senate session, although she still considers herself a Republican.