Your Path to the Virginia General Assembly

The Role of Citizens and the Role of Elected and Appointed Officials

Your Path to the Role of Citizens

Not only is the state legislature a citizen legislature, our local government bodies are also comprised of every day citizens. Click on "citizens" below to learn more.

Citizens

Now that you understand the various responsibilities of elected and appointed officials, it is important to remember the role YOU play.

As an informed citizen, you know the person who represents the district in which you reside. You are also aware of the legislator's views on different issues. The "Who's My Legislator?" search is an excellent resource to help with compiling information on your state and federal representatives.

On the local government level, you will need to determine if you live in a county, city or town.

City residents are represented by a city council. Cities are independent of counties and towns.
County residents are represented by a board of supervisors.
Town residents are represented by a town council. Towns are technically a part of counties, so town residents are also represented by the county board of supervisors.

Your county or city registrar can assist you with determining who represents you on any of these local governing boards.

Volunteer in your community through civic organizations.

Be conscious of the issues and how they affect you.

Your Path to the Role of Legislative Elected and Appointed Officials

The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 40 Senatorial Districts and 100 House of Delegates Districts. Each citizen is represented by a member of the Senate and a member of the House of Delegates.

There are several elected and appointed positions that comprise the legislative branch in Virginia. Click on the roles below to learn more about the qualifications.

Senators

Senators are elected for a four-year term.
Senators must be 21-years-old, be qualified to vote and reside in the district they represent.
Senators serve on approximately four committees.
Each Senator earns a salary of $18,000 per year.
Each Senator represents approximately 215,000 citizens.

Delegates

Delegates are elected to serve a two-year term.
Delegates must be 21-years-old, be qualified to vote and reside in the district they represent.
Each Delegate earns a salary of $17,640 per year.
Each Delegate represents approximately 90,000 citizens.

President pro tempore

In the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor is the presiding officer; they are not a "member" of the body and only cast a vote when there is a tie.
In the event of his/her absence, the President pro tempore performs the duties of the presiding officer.
The President pro tempore is a senior member who is elected by the members of the Senate for a four-year term.

Speaker

In the House, the Speaker serves as the presiding officer.
The Speaker is one of the 100 Delegates.
Unlike in the Senate, the Speaker votes on legislation with the other Delegates. If there is a tie vote, legislation fails. There is no tie breaker in the House.

Majority Leader

A Senator or Delegate elected by their respective caucus. The Majority Leader represents the political party with the most representation in their respective body.

Minority Leader

A Senator or Delegate elected by their respective caucus. The Minority Leader represents the political party with the least representation in their respective body.

Clerk of the Senate

The Clerk of the Senate is elected by the Senators for a four-year term.
The Senate Clerk’s duties include overseeing the daily operations of the Senate, keeping the daily Journal, and referring bills to committees.

Clerk of the House of Delegates

The Clerk of the House is elected by the Delegates for a two-year term.
The Clerk of the House is responsible for the administration of the House under the direction of the Speaker and is the Keeper of the Rolls of the Commonwealth.

Legislative Assistants

Legislative assistants aid Senators and Delegates in carrying out their duties.
Their tasks include helping to draft speeches and remarks, assisting constituents, acting as a liaison between the member and state agencies, etc.