Starting this year, I am making brief recommendations for voters in all contested local races in Loudoun County, Virginia, and all contested state- and federal-level races in Virginia. These are in addition to the more in-depth, long-form endorsement articles for each race that appears on my own ballot.

Recommendations appear below for nine of Virginia’s eleven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Excluded is the Third District, which is uncontested, and the Tenth District, which is my own district and is therefore covered by a long-form endorsement. Additionally, there is a special election for the Eighth District of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Read more . . .

In the race to represent the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States Senate, incumbent Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) is challenged by Prince William County Board Chairman Corey Stewart (R) and Matt Waters (L). Kaine was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and is serving his first term. He had previously served one term as Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Each of the fifty states have two seats in the Senate, for a total of one hundred seats. There is no representation, voting or non-voting, for U.S. territories or the District of Columbia. Senators serve six-year terms, and elections are held on a staggered schedule with roughly one-third of the Senate up for election every two years. This year, thirty-three seats are in contention, with an additional two up for special elections.

The Republican Party currently holds a 51-47 majority over the Democratic Party in the Senate. Two seats are held by independents who caucus with the Democratic Party, giving the Democrats an effective 49-seat minority. Currently, both of Virginia’s Senate seats are held by Democrats.

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In the race to represent Virginia’s Tenth District in the United States House of Representatives, incumbent Representative Barbara Comstock (R-VA 10th) is seeking reelection and is challenged by Virginia Senator Jennifer Wexton (D-VA 33rd).

The Tenth District encompasses Clarke County, Frederick County, Loudoun County, the cities of Manassas and Winchester, and parts of Fairfax and Prince William counties. Comstock was first elected in 2014 and is nearing the end of her second term.

All seats in the House of Representatives are up for election every two years. There are 435 seats, representing each of the fifty states in rough proportion to their population as recorded in the most recent national census. There are an additional six non-voting delegate seats representing U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

The Republican Party currently holds a 235-193 majority over the Democratic Party in the House, and seven seats are vacant. Virginia has eleven seats in the House, with seven held by Republicans and four held by Democrats.

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Article XII, Section 1, of the Constitution of Virginia establishes a process for amending the constitution. The state Senate or the House of Delegates proposes amendments and, after having been passed through both houses, they are then presented to the voters for approval. Once approved by the voters, the state constitution is amended as specified, and that change can only be reversed by repeating the amendment process.

Citizens of Virginia will be voting on two constitutional amendments in this year’s November election, each of which would change or add text to the Constitution of Virginia.

Question 1: Flooding Tax Amendment

To exempt certain properties from local property taxes, the Constitution of Virginia must be amended to permit that exemption, and then the Virginia General Assembly must pass legislation to enact it. Many such exemption authorities have been added to the state constitution in the past . . . five times since Off on a Tangent began making political endorsements.

This year, yet another such exemption is on the ballot. This one would allow for partial exemptions for properties subject to flooding if the owners of the property make substantial improvements to the property to mitigate future flooding.

Read more . . .