Virginia voters decisively chose civil rights in the face of federal attacks

RICHMOND, Va. – In response to the 2025 Virginia election in which the ACLU of Virginia and ACLU made its largest investments to date in Virginia voter education, ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Mary Bauer released the following statement:

“This election was a critical step to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of everyone in Virginia, and when Virginia voters went to the polls on Tuesday, they delivered a clear repudiation of politicians’ attempts to roll them back. Voters delivered decisive wins to pro-civil rights candidates up and down the ballot – from Virginia’s House of Delegates to Virginia’s Attorney General – after a race that included our organization’s largest investment in voter education to date.

“Although the ACLU is nonpartisan and doesn’t endorse candidates, we knew it was critical to make sure voters knew their candidates’ positions on issues like reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights and freedom from censorship, especially since the lawmakers who voters just elected will have the opportunity in January to advance three amendments to Virginia’s constitution. At a time when we’re seeing unprecedented attacks from the White House on Virginians’ civil rights, these amendments would protect Virginians’ right to vote, to marry the person we love, and to get the reproductive healthcare we need, including abortion.

“Virginia voters have proven they’ll reject any lawmaker who won't protect the freedoms Virginians value, and we’re committed to fighting right alongside them for our rights here in the Commonwealth.”