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Ballot question

Question 1: Right to reproductive freedom (constitutional amendment)

On the ballot in
Virginia
Vote
Yes or no
Election
Nov 3, 2026

The question, as printed on the ballot

Question: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) protect the freedom to make personal decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care; (ii) protect doctors, nurses, and patients from being punished for these decisions; and (iii) allow for restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive?

A “Yes” vote means

A yes vote adds a right to reproductive freedom to the Virginia Constitution's Bill of Rights, with the state allowed to regulate abortion in the third trimester, with health and viability exceptions.

A “No” vote means

A no vote rejects the amendment; the Virginia Constitution would not be changed.

Official plain English statement

Present Law Currently, the Virginia Constitution does not explicitly provide to its citizens a right to reproductive freedom nor does it explicitly protect or prohibit certain kinds of health care procedures or decisions. Proposed Law The proposed amendment would add to the Virginia Constitution's Bill of Rights the fundamental right to make and carry out decisions about a person’s own reproductive care with only certain, specific exceptions. The proposed amendment specifically allows the state government to pass laws to regulate abortion care in the third trimester of pregnancy, but requires any such law to allow for abortion care when it is medically needed to protect the life and health of the pregnant person or because the fetus is not viable.

Proposed by the General Assembly (Article I, new Section 11-A). ELECT's explanation for voters was approved by the joint Privileges and Elections committee on 6/22/2026; the PDF heads the second part "Proposed Amendment", the web page "Proposed Law".

Sources

The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.