Virginia State Government

Learn about the main aspects of Virginia State Government

The Office of the Governor

The Virginia Governor’s Office is the executive office of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and includes the Governor of Virginia, his advisors and counsel, the Governor’s Cabinet, and a number of other staff. The current Governor of Virginia is Governor Glenn Youngkin.

The General Assembly

The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The General Assembly is a bicameral body made up of the House of Delegates and the Senate, which together consist of 140 representatives. In accordance with the Virginia Constitution, the Virginia General Assembly convenes in annual regular session on the second Wednesday of January. During even-numbered years, the General Assembly meets for 60 days. During odd-numbered years, the General Assembly meets for 30 days, though traditionally this has been extended to 45 days. 

The Virginia House of Delegates

The Virginia House of Delegates is the larger of the two bodies that make up the Virginia General Assembly. The House consists of 100 members, with each Delegate representing approximately 80,000 citizens of the Commonwealth. Each Delegate is elected to represent their district for a term of 2 years, and all Delegates’ terms begin and end at the same time. The House of Delegates is presided over by the Speaker of the House, currently Delegate Todd Gilbert. 

The Senate of Virginia

The Senate of Virginia is the smaller of the two bodies that make up the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate consists of 40 members, with each Senator representing approximately 200,000 citizens of the Commonwealth. Each Senator is elected to represent their district for a term of 4 years, and all Senators’ terms begin and end at the same time. The Senate is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, currently Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears. In the absence of the Lieutenant Governor, the Senate is presided over by the President Pro Tempore, currently Senator Louise Lucas.