RICHMOND, Va. – It’s now all but decided that Election Day will replace Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday in Virginia.
On Thursday, the Virginia House of Delegates passed HB 108, which would remove Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday making Election Day a holiday instead.
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Delegates voted 55-42 to pass the bill.
Now that the bill has passed in both chambers, it’s expected to make its way to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk for him to sign.
The governor announced last month that he supported this legislation, so it would be highly surprising if he did not sign the bill.
Original story posted on Jan. 21, 2020
Election Day in, Lee-Jackson Day out.
When it comes to state holidays in Virginia, that plan moved one step forward on Tuesday as SB 601 passed in the Senate.
The bill designates Election Day as a state holiday while revoking Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday.
Gov. Northam announced earlier this month as part of his legislative agenda to make this change happen.
“Voting is a fundamental right,” said Northam on Jan. 6, 2020. “But in a state that once put up tremendous barriers to voting, too many people are still unable to participate meaningfully in our democracy. By making it easier—not harder—to vote, these proposals will ensure we are building a government that is truly representative of the people we serve. I look forward to working with the General Assembly to pass these important measures into law.”
The vote passed in the Virginia Senate, 22-18.