Virginia's seventeenth state senate district is represented by Republican Senator Bryce Reeves.

As of the 2011 redistricting, a total of 204,024 civilians reside within Virginia's seventeenth state senate district. Virginia state senators represent an average of 200,026 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 176,963 residents.

About the office

Members of the Virginia State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Virginia legislators assume office the second Wednesday in January after the election.

Qualifications

Senators must be at least 21 years of age at the time of the election, residents of the district they represent, and qualified to vote for members of the Virginia General Assembly.

Salaries

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the Virginia General Assembly, a special election must be conducted to fill the vacant seat. If the vacancy occurs while the legislature is in session, the presiding officer of the house in which the vacancy happens must call for a special election. If the vacancy occurs while the legislature is in recess, the governor shall call the special election. All special elections must be held promptly. However, no special election can be held if it occurs less than 55 days before any statewide primary or general election or if there are fewer than 75 days remaining in the vacated term.

Elections

2019

Elections for the Virginia State Senate took place in 2019. The primary was on June 11, 2019, and the general election was on November 5. The filing deadline for candidates was March 28, 2019.

2015

Elections for the Virginia State Senate took place in 2015. A primary election was held on June 9, 2015. The general election took place on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 26, 2015. Ned Gallaway was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Bryce Reeves was unopposed in the Republican primary. Reeves defeated Gallaway in the general election.

Race snapshot

Gallaway has been the chair of the Albemarle County School Board. District 25 incumbent Creigh Deeds endorsed Gallaway, citing "his passion for education and his deep knowledge and understanding of many of the issues facing our school system." Gallaway also received the endorsement of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Democrats of Virginia.

Reeves, the owner of an insurance agency, received the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

The candidates appeared at an October 15 candidate forum in Culpeper, video of which can be seen here. Reeves declined to participate in a debate that would have been sponsored by the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, prompting Gallaway to accuse the incumbent of being "more interested in his own political future rather than the future of Virginians." Reeves' campaign responded, "It is sad that the Gallaway campaign has opted for distorting the truth and playing petty political games."

2011

Elections for the office of Virginia State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 23, 2011, and a general election on November 8, 2011. Republican Bryce Reeves defeated Democratic incumbent R. Edward "Edd" Houck in the general election. Reeves did not run in the Republican primary election. Houck was unopposed in the Democratic primary election.

Virginia State Senate, District 17 General Election, 2011

Campaign contributions

From 2003 to 2011, candidates for Virginia State Senate District 17 raised a total of $3,531,343. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $588,557 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Virginia State Senate District 17