Information and Resources Available on Local Election System Referendum

Elections are critical to the democracy of the United States.  

In November, Virginia Beach residents have important choices to make, not only on current candidates but also on a referendum question on how our local election system is structured. 

The Nov. 4 ballot will include the following question: 

Should the method of city council elections set forth in the Virginia Beach City Charter be changed from a modified 7-3-1 system to a 10-1 system? 

• A “yes” vote means that you support the 10-1 system, which was used in the 2022 and 2024 city council elections. In the 10-1 system, the city is divided into 10 districts and the voters of each district elect a single council member with the mayor elected at-large (city-wide).
• A “no” vote means you support the 7-3-1 system described in the current city charter as modified by a general law change that occurred in 2021. In the modified 7-3-1 system, the city is divided into 7 districts and the voters of each district elect a single council member, with three other council members and the mayor elected at-large (city-wide).

While the City of Virginia Beach is prohibited from advocating for or against the passage of the referendum question, we want to make sure that everyone is prepared to vote on this important topic by providing information and resources, including a 500-word neutral explanation that is allowed under law.

Available Information and Resources

The Referendum webpage currently provides: 

• Information to understand the referendum question 
• Information on why the question will be on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot 
• Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) 
• Recordings of City Council meetings involving the referendum 
• Presentation materials that were shared during Council meetings on the referendum  
• Information translated into Spanish and Tagalog 
• Digital flyers and fact sheets to download and share 
• Resources for individuals and organizations who would like to host their own discussion on the referendum 

After reading the webpage information, visitors are asked to complete a one-question survey about the information.  

More to Come 

Leading up to the start of early voting on Sept. 19 and to voting day on Nov. 4, additional information and resources will be available, including: 

• Opportunities to pick up educational materials from City staff at various locations throughout the city 
• Videos answering FAQs 

Stay Informed 

Residents are encouraged to stay informed about the referendum and the resources are available by signing up for the weekly Be in the Know email newsletter.  

We hope that you will help us ensure that everyone is able to cast an informed vote on the referendum by talking to your friends, family and neighbors in Virginia Beach and sharing these links and resources. 

• Referendum 2025
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