On this page
Judicial Elections
How Judges Are Chosen in Virginia
Supreme Court of Virginia justices are elected by Virginia’s legislature to 12-year terms, and the legislature decides whether they serve again.
Rules as of October 15, 2026 · source Ballotpedia
Are judges elected in Virginia?
- Highest court
- Supreme Court of Virginia — 7 justices
- How chosen
- Legislature elects
- Voters
- Voters have no direct say
- Term
- 12 years
- To serve again
- Legislature decides
- 2026 ballot
- No Supreme Court of Virginia seats in 2026
How Virginia chooses its judges
Supreme Court of Virginia justices are elected by Virginia’s legislature to 12-year terms, and the legislature decides whether they serve again.
- Seats: 7 justices on the Supreme Court of Virginia.
- Term: 12 years.
- To serve again: Legislature decides.
- Other courts: Every level of court is elected by the General Assembly.
Compare every state on the judicial selection table.
Is the Supreme Court of Virginia on the 2026 ballot?
No — and no other judge is either. Virginia fills every court by legislative election, so judges never appear on the ballot.
Following judicial appointments in Virginia
With no judicial elections, the public’s say runs through the officials who choose judges: the Virginia legislators who elect them. Their votes on judgeships are public. Full details, including how vacancies are filled, are on Ballotpedia’s Virginia judicial selection page.
For everything else on your ballot, see how to vote in Virginia.
Federal judges in Virginia
Federal judges are never on a ballot: the President nominates them and the U.S. Senate confirms them for life. Virginia’s two senators vote on every nominee and are traditionally consulted on district court nominees from the state.
Virginia’s senators: Mark Warner (Democratic) and Tim Kaine (Democratic).
Confirmed by recorded vote in 2026
No federal judge for a court in Virginia has been confirmed by roll-call vote in 2026.
District judges for courts in Virginia and circuit judges from the state. Judges confirmed by voice vote leave no roll call; the Senate’s list of confirmed nominations has them. Roll calls from the snapshot refreshed Oct 1, 2026.
Open federal judgeships
- Eastern District of Virginia: seat of Arenda L. Wright Allen (senior, May 13, 2026) — no nominee yet.
Source: uscourts.gov current judicial vacancies. Every vacancy nationwide is on the judicial elections hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are judges elected in Virginia?
Supreme Court of Virginia justices are elected by Virginia’s legislature to 12-year terms, and the legislature decides whether they serve again. Every level of court is elected by the General Assembly.
How long is a term on the Supreme Court of Virginia?
12 years. At the end of a term, the legislature decides whether they serve another term.
Is the Supreme Court of Virginia on the 2026 ballot?
No. Virginia voters do not vote on the Supreme Court of Virginia: its justices are elected by the legislature, and the legislature decides whether they serve another term.
Are any judges on the Virginia ballot?
No. Virginia fills every court by legislative election, so no judge appears on the ballot.
Who appoints federal judges in Virginia?
The President nominates and the U.S. Senate confirms them; they serve for life. Virginia's senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, vote on every nomination and are traditionally consulted on district court nominees from the state.
Related
Judicial Elections in Every State
How all 50 states choose judges, every 2026 supreme court race, and federal confirmations.
How to Vote in Virginia
Registration, early voting, mail ballots and poll hours.
Virginia Senators & Representatives
Your delegation in Congress and when each term ends.
What Can Congress Do?
Can Congress declare war, override a veto, impeach a cabinet member, remove a senator, overrule the Supreme Court, or invoke the 25th Amendment? Question by question, with live vote math.