Saturday, November 7th, 2026

News

Yes, yes, yes Virginia passes all three constitutional amendments

November 4, 2026

Sal Orlando, News Editor Deborah Aguilera, Contributing Writer Maeve Bauer, Executive Editor All three constitutional amendments were approved in Virginia in the 2026 election, all amassing over double digit percentage wins. As of 12:30 am. on Nov. 4, 62% voted yes on question 1, 57.0% voted yes on question 2 and 56.1% voted yes, on question 3 according to NBC News. Rights to reproductive care The right to reproductive amendment passed, protecting Virginians access to prenatal and postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management and infertility treatments, according to Ballotpedia.Abortion is currently legal in Virginia up until the third trimester, but the amendment will protect the right in the state’s constitution. Jamie Lockhart, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates for Virginia, said the organization would ensure that the right becomes a reality looking ahead. “We know that getting there takes work,” Lockhart said. “We have to monitor implementation of the amendment, protect the amendment in court and educate Virginians on their rights,” Lockhart said that they are already prepared to defend the amendment in court against opponents.  “They’ve [opponents] already said that immediately following this, knowing that they were going to lose, that they were going to challenge it immediately

Democrats regain control of the U.S. House and Senate in stunning upsets 

November 4, 2026

Ellie Waltman, Managing Editor  Democrats regained control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, according to NBC News.  Democrats won control of the Senate with 53 Democratic seats, flipping 6 seats as of 2:19 a.m., and are projected to hold 55 seats to Republicans’ 45, according to The New York Times.  This follows historic victories for Senate seats in Texas, Iowa, Kansas, South Carolina, North Carolina and Ohio.  Democratic candidate James Talarico defeated Republican candidate Ken Paxton to become the first Democrat in Texas to win a U.S. Senate seat in 38 years, according to The Guardian.   Democratic candidate Josh Turek defeated Republican candidate Ashley Hinson to become the first Democrat in Iowa to win a U.S. Senate seat in 12 years, according to 6 KWQC. Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton defeated Republican candidate and incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall to become the first Democrat in Kansas to win a U.S. Senate seat in 94 years, according to NBC News.  Democratic candidate Annie Andrews defeated Republican incumbent Sen. Darline Graham, who assumed the position following the passing of her brother Lindsey Graham in July, to become the first Democrat in South Carolina to win a

Richmond voters approve 1% sales tax increase to fund school repairs

November 4, 2026

Sal Orlando, News Editor Skye Hathaway, Copy Editor Richmond citizens voted yesterday on a 1% sales tax increase to go toward repairs and construction for Richmond Public Schools.  Richmond’s previous sales tax was 6% and will now increase to 7%, affecting the final price of purchases on clothing, electronics and other retail items, according to the Richmond Department of Finance. Groceries are taxed at 1% and will not be affected by the increase.  Brady Kastner, a third-year theatre student, said he went to the polls because he believes it is everyone’s civic duty to vote. He said he hopes that the results would go in favor of the tax increase.  “I believe really strongly in the funding of education,” Kastner said. “I hope it goes in favor of that because recent changes in government have not been very good for that.” Mayor Danny Avula stated in a press release that the city is expected to raise up to $47.5 million per year for school projects, totaling to $400 million between 2028 and 2034. He stated that he would introduce legislation to lower the city’s meal tax from 7.5 to 6.5% if voters approved the sales tax increase.  RPS did not

VCU receives letter from Spanberger calling for sexual violence safety

November 4, 2026

Gov. Abigail Spanberger sent a letter to VCU, among other Virginia universities, calling for it to uphold safety for students from sexual violence. Spanberger asked institutions to review their sexual violence policies and update them appropriately, according to the letter. The letter follows recent investigations at Cornell University and Radford University regarding allegations of sexual assault, according to ABC 13. The letter did not directly mention the investigations. The letter stated that institutions must certify with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia that they provide the Office of the Secretary of Education with a copy of procedures, ensure that workers have reviewed and understand policies and procedures, assess the adequacy of existing training and education for students, faculty, and staff and reinforce expectations for accountability, with timely reporting and follow-ups. Universities had to certify with SCHEV no later than Oct. 31, according to state law. “We have an obligation to ensure that these systems are working as intended. Policies must be clearly understood — both by those administering them and by those whom these policies serve — and must be consistently implemented and enforced,” the letter stated. VCU students held a walkout last month, demanding the university be

Richmond ends Flock safety contract, Axon and options still remain

November 4, 2026

Maddy Thurber, Staff Writer Chase Berman, Contributing Writer The City of Richmond announced it will not renew its contract with Flock Safety, a company that provides automated license plate readers on Oct. 10. The city has not ruled out working with another company, leaving questions about what the future of the technology will look like in Richmond. According to a previous CT report, the existing contract remains in place until June 30, 2027. The current contract will cost the city $285,000 in fiscal year 2027, according to Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards.⁠ The decision comes as concerns about surveillance technology continue and neighboring counties Goochland and Henrico cancel their respective Flock contracts. Avula said in a press conference the decision was partly connected to Henrico’s decision to cancel. In his official announcement, ⁠he explained that cooperation between Richmond and surrounding areas can help police investigate crimes, since criminal activity does not stop at city and county boundaries. The transcript from the official announcement can be found on the City of Richmond’s website.  ALPRs take pictures of vehicle license plates and turn the information into searchable data. Police can use the technology to help locate stolen vehicles and gather information during

Democrats sweep in Virginia for U.S. House and Senate

November 4, 2026

Ellie Waltman, Managing Editor Tadek Wieczorek, Contributing Writer Democratic Richmond area representatives and Incumbent Senator Mark Warner won the midterm election in Virginia, marking a majority win for Democrats in the state Democrats won a majority of races in Virginia, excluding the 5th District, where Republican candidate John McGuire won with 49.9% of the vote, defeating Democratic candidate Tom S. P. Perriello. The races in Virginia follow alongside nationwide trends during the midterm elections.  U.S. House of Representatives  VA District-4 Democratic Congresswoman-elect Jennifer McClellan, representing the 4th congressional district, has been re-elected after defeating Robert Murray with 70.4% of the vote over Murray’s 27.9%, according to the Associated Press.  Congresswoman McClellan said she looked forward to holding President Donald Trump’s administration accountable in the new U.S. House.  “We need to use our oversight responsibility to haul in a lot of these cabinet secretaries and White House officials,” McClellan said.  VA District-1 Democratic Congresswoman-elect Shannon Taylor has been elected in Virginia’s 1st congressional district, defeating Republican Congressman Rob Wittman with 50.5% of the vote over Wittman’s 49.3%, according to the AP.  Taylor said during a campaign event that the U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who was campaigning for Wittman, was there

‘What’s At Stake’: Midterm informational panel held at VCU in preparation for midterm elections

November 1, 2026

Olivia Rine, Staff Writer The VCU College of Humanities and Sciences held the “What’s at Stake?” panel on Oct. 28 in preparation for the upcoming midterm election on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The panelists included Ambassador Anthony Godfrey, former Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and  assistant professors of political science Hollie Mann and Jatia Wrighten. The event gave each panelist the opportunity to highlight the topics that they felt were most important for voters to understand before Election Day.  Midterm elections are a way to understand who participates, and whose participation translates into political power, according to Wrighten. The more diverse voter turnout is, the more representative the government will be.  “The more descriptive our representatives are, the better legislation we get, the better constituents feel that they are actually representative in government,” Wrighten said. “It’s this idea that you can relate to someone that looks like you in office.”  Politicians use gendered imaging Mann said she feels there is a trend of “toxic masculinity” throughout the government, including gender stereotypes from politicians that set back progressive political reforms.  “Candidates and parties are summoning certain ideas about masculinity and femininity to persuade voters,” Mann said.  Mann said that one of the ‘worst

What VCU students should know about same-day voter registration

October 28, 2026

Deborah Aguilera, Contributing Writer Virginia voters can register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day, giving eligible residents an opportunity to participate in elections even if they missed the regular registration deadline. Kelsey Jones, VCU Votes’ faculty advisor, stated in an email same-day registration allows eligible students to update their registration using their VCU address, even after the regular deadline. Students who register on the same day must generally cast a provisional ballot.  Provisional ballots are an alternative to turning voters away, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. They are reviewed by a local electoral board, beginning the day after elections. Provisional ballots are also issued if a voter’s name is not in the pollbook, the pollbook indicates the person has already voted, or if the General Registrar cannot confirm the voter is registered to vote.  VCU Votes, a student organization focused on voter engagement, works to educate students about registration requirements and voting opportunities. Jones stated that Virginia’s same-day registration policy took effect beginning with the 2022 general election after the General Assembly passed legislation allowing eligible voters to register through Election Day. She stated the policy gives students another opportunity to participate while balancing

Yes, yes, yes Virginia passes all three constitutional amendments

November 4, 2026

Sal Orlando, News Editor Deborah Aguilera, Contributing Writer Maeve Bauer, Executive Editor All three constitutional amendments were approved in Virginia in the 2026 election, all amassing over double digit percentage wins. As of 12:30 am. on Nov. 4, 62% voted yes on question 1, 57.0% voted yes on question 2 and 56.1% voted yes, on question 3 according to NBC News. Rights to reproductive care The right to reproductive amendment passed, protecting Virginians access to prenatal and postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management and infertility treatments, according to Ballotpedia.Abortion is currently legal in Virginia up until the third trimester, but the amendment will protect the right in the state’s constitution. Jamie Lockhart, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates for Virginia, said the organization would ensure that the right becomes a reality looking ahead. “We know that getting there takes work,” Lockhart said. “We have to monitor implementation of the amendment, protect the amendment in court and educate Virginians on their rights,” Lockhart said that they are already prepared to defend the amendment in court against opponents.  “They’ve [opponents] already said that immediately following this, knowing that they were going to lose, that they were going to challenge it immediately after,” Lockhart said. Mat Staver, a Bedford County supervisor, threatened to challenge the process used to place question one on the ballot, according to NBC 10. He argued it did not follow guidelines that the proposed amendment’s language should have been accessible to the public at least 90 days before the 2025 House of Delegates election. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia partnered with Virginians for Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of doctors, nurses, and advocates, who advocated for the amendments, according to their website. Hannah Servedio, organizing director for Virginians for Reproductive Freedom, said organizations like Planned Parenthood Advocates and Repro Rising Virginia will continue to be on the ground organizing and fighting for reproductive rights. ACLU for Virginia has been involved with Question One since its inception, according to Mary Bauer, the executive director of ACLU for Virginia. She said she believes that the amendment overall is consistent with Virginian’s values.  “We deeply believe in the right of all people to have bodily autonomy and to be able to make decisions about their own bodies,” Bauer said.  Han Jones, the political director for Planned Parenthood Advocates for Virginia, emphasized the importance of having a focused goal with a campaign towards

Democrats regain control of the U.S. House and Senate in stunning upsets 

November 4, 2026

Ellie Waltman, Managing Editor  Democrats regained control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, according to NBC News.  Democrats won control of the Senate with 53 Democratic seats, flipping 6 seats as of 2:19 a.m., and are projected to hold 55 seats to Republicans’ 45, according to The New York Times.  This follows historic victories for Senate seats in Texas, Iowa, Kansas, South Carolina, North Carolina and Ohio.  Democratic candidate James Talarico defeated Republican candidate Ken Paxton to become the first Democrat in Texas to win a U.S. Senate seat in 38 years, according to The Guardian.   Democratic candidate Josh Turek defeated Republican candidate Ashley Hinson to become the first Democrat in Iowa to win a U.S. Senate seat in 12 years, according to 6 KWQC. Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton defeated Republican candidate and incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall to become the first Democrat in Kansas to win a U.S. Senate seat in 94 years, according to NBC News.  Democratic candidate Annie Andrews defeated Republican incumbent Sen. Darline Graham, who assumed the position following the passing of her brother Lindsey Graham in July, to become the first Democrat in South Carolina to win a

Richmond voters approve 1% sales tax increase to fund school repairs

November 4, 2026

Sal Orlando, News Editor Skye Hathaway, Copy Editor Richmond citizens voted yesterday on a 1% sales tax increase to go toward repairs and construction for Richmond Public Schools.  Richmond’s previous sales tax was 6% and will now increase to 7%, affecting the final price of purchases on clothing, electronics and other retail items, according to the Richmond Department of Finance. Groceries are taxed at 1% and will not be affected by the increase.  Brady Kastner, a third-year theatre student, said he went to the polls because he believes it is everyone’s civic duty to vote. He said he hopes that the results would go in favor of the tax increase.  “I believe really strongly in the funding of education,” Kastner said. “I hope it goes in favor of that because recent changes in government have not been very good for that.” Mayor Danny Avula stated in a press release that the city is expected to raise up to $47.5 million per year for school projects, totaling to $400 million between 2028 and 2034. He stated that he would introduce legislation to lower the city’s meal tax from 7.5 to 6.5% if voters approved the sales tax increase.  RPS did not

VCU receives letter from Spanberger calling for sexual violence safety

November 4, 2026

Gov. Abigail Spanberger sent a letter to VCU, among other Virginia universities, calling for it to uphold safety for students from sexual violence. Spanberger asked institutions to review their sexual violence policies and update them appropriately, according to the letter. The letter follows recent investigations at Cornell University and Radford University regarding allegations of sexual assault, according to ABC 13. The letter did not directly mention the investigations. The letter stated that institutions must certify with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia that they provide the Office of the Secretary of Education with a copy of procedures, ensure that workers have reviewed and understand policies and procedures, assess the adequacy of existing training and education for students, faculty, and staff and reinforce expectations for accountability, with timely reporting and follow-ups. Universities had to certify with SCHEV no later than Oct. 31, according to state law. “We have an obligation to ensure that these systems are working as intended. Policies must be clearly understood — both by those administering them and by those whom these policies serve — and must be consistently implemented and enforced,” the letter stated. VCU students held a walkout last month, demanding the university be

Richmond ends Flock safety contract, Axon and options still remain

November 4, 2026

Maddy Thurber, Staff Writer Chase Berman, Contributing Writer The City of Richmond announced it will not renew its contract with Flock Safety, a company that provides automated license plate readers on Oct. 10. The city has not ruled out working with another company, leaving questions about what the future of the technology will look like in Richmond. According to a previous CT report, the existing contract remains in place until June 30, 2027. The current contract will cost the city $285,000 in fiscal year 2027, according to Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards.⁠ The decision comes as concerns about surveillance technology continue and neighboring counties Goochland and Henrico cancel their respective Flock contracts. Avula said in a press conference the decision was partly connected to Henrico’s decision to cancel. In his official announcement, ⁠he explained that cooperation between Richmond and surrounding areas can help police investigate crimes, since criminal activity does not stop at city and county boundaries. The transcript from the official announcement can be found on the City of Richmond’s website.  ALPRs take pictures of vehicle license plates and turn the information into searchable data. Police can use the technology to help locate stolen vehicles and gather information during

Democrats sweep in Virginia for U.S. House and Senate

November 4, 2026

Ellie Waltman, Managing Editor Tadek Wieczorek, Contributing Writer Democratic Richmond area representatives and Incumbent Senator Mark Warner won the midterm election in Virginia, marking a majority win for Democrats in the state Democrats won a majority of races in Virginia, excluding the 5th District, where Republican candidate John McGuire won with 49.9% of the vote, defeating Democratic candidate Tom S. P. Perriello. The races in Virginia follow alongside nationwide trends during the midterm elections.  U.S. House of Representatives  VA District-4 Democratic Congresswoman-elect Jennifer McClellan, representing the 4th congressional district, has been re-elected after defeating Robert Murray with 70.4% of the vote over Murray’s 27.9%, according to the Associated Press.  Congresswoman McClellan said she looked forward to holding President Donald Trump’s administration accountable in the new U.S. House.  “We need to use our oversight responsibility to haul in a lot of these cabinet secretaries and White House officials,” McClellan said.  VA District-1 Democratic Congresswoman-elect Shannon Taylor has been elected in Virginia’s 1st congressional district, defeating Republican Congressman Rob Wittman with 50.5% of the vote over Wittman’s 49.3%, according to the AP.  Taylor said during a campaign event that the U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who was campaigning for Wittman, was there

‘What’s At Stake’: Midterm informational panel held at VCU in preparation for midterm elections

November 1, 2026

Olivia Rine, Staff Writer The VCU College of Humanities and Sciences held the “What’s at Stake?” panel on Oct. 28 in preparation for the upcoming midterm election on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The panelists included Ambassador Anthony Godfrey, former Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and  assistant professors of political science Hollie Mann and Jatia Wrighten. The event gave each panelist the opportunity to highlight the topics that they felt were most important for voters to understand before Election Day.  Midterm elections are a way to understand who participates, and whose participation translates into political power, according to Wrighten. The more diverse voter turnout is, the more representative the government will be.  “The more descriptive our representatives are, the better legislation we get, the better constituents feel that they are actually representative in government,” Wrighten said. “It’s this idea that you can relate to someone that looks like you in office.”  Politicians use gendered imaging Mann said she feels there is a trend of “toxic masculinity” throughout the government, including gender stereotypes from politicians that set back progressive political reforms.  “Candidates and parties are summoning certain ideas about masculinity and femininity to persuade voters,” Mann said.  Mann said that one of the ‘worst