• For first time since 1996, not all of the eleven House seats were won by landslide margins. Even though several of Virginia's U.S. House districts were re-drawn in early 1998 because of a lawsuit against the state's black-majority House district, the redistricting certainly did not make Virginia elections more competitive.

  • The average margin of victory for Virginia's U.S. House seats was 50% in 2000 � the average victory margins from 1994-1998 were also over 40%.

  • Voter turnout was 46% in 2000, the highest in the state since 1992.

  • Only one out of three adults in Virginia cast ballots for the person who represents them in the U.S. House. However, this is still an improvement from 1998, when the state ranked 47th in the "representation index".

  • Only 2 out of the last 86 U.S. House incumbents running for re-election in Virginia have lost; only one has lost in 1992-2000.

  • Democrat Virgil H. Goode, Jr. changed his party designation to Independent in 2000. This is likely because he votes with Republicans on most issues, who have control of the redistricting process and will make sure he will have a safe district.

  • How Virginia ranked in 2000
     


     
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    Copyright � 2000 The Center for Voting and Democracy
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    Virginia

    11 seats: 6R, 4D, 1I

    Where It Ranks Among the States (House Elections 2000)

    • Voter Turnout: 35th (46%)
    • Victory Margin: 41st (50%)

    Facts in Focus

    • Four of Virginia's eleven U.S. House races were not contested by a major party in 2000.

    Four House seats in Virginia are held by incumbents who have won all elections in 1992-2000 by landslide; the remaining four incumbents have won at least their last three elections by landslide.