Proposed Constitutional Amendment Question 2
BALLOT LANGUAGE
WHAT IT MEANS
Yes
No
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST
Yes
"The Marriage Equality Amendment will remove an outdated ban from our state constitution and ensure that every Virginia family has the same rights, protections, and dignity, no matter who they are or who they love.
This November, Virginians will vote on a constitutional amendment to protect the freedom to marry for all couples, regardless of sex, gender, or race. The amendment would repeal Virginia's 2006 Marshall-Newman Amendment, a ban on same-sex marriage that remains in our state constitution today, and replace it with an affirmative guarantee that the government must treat all marriages equally under the law.
There is no guarantee that marriage equality will stay the federal law of the land. We can't afford to wait to see if that changes. Waiting leaves thousands of Virginia families unprotected the next time the legal ground shifts beneath them.
Virginians believe in freedom, not just for ourselves, but for our neighbors too. Regardless of party, faith, or background, people across the Commonwealth value the freedom to make decisions about our families without the government getting in the way. This amendment protects that freedom. It doesn't change what marriage means to you, your church, or your community. It simply removes government from a deeply personal decision and ensures the law treats every family the same..." - Virginians for Marriage Equality
"Vote YES to remove the outdated ban on same-sex marriage from Virginia’s constitution.
Same-sex marriage is legal in the U.S. – but that could change with the swipe of a Supreme Court justice’s pen.
Ballot Amendment #2 will put power directly in the hands of the people to choose whether Virginians can marry the person they love.
Right now, Virginia’s constitution still has an outdated ban on same sex marriage. If the U.S. Supreme Court were to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark decision that legalized same-sex marriage federally, our state ban would snap back into place.
This November, Virginians can ensure our right to marry who we love in Virginia is protected from politics by voting YES on #2." - ACLU of Virginia
"This change is about freedom. The freedom to marry the person you love, the freedom to make deeply personal decisions about your family without interference from the government, and the freedom for every Virginian to build a life with the person they love and have that life recognized and respected." - Narissa Rahaman, Executive Director, Equality Virginia
No
"If passed, the repeal-and-replace marriage amendment would enshrine gender ideology into our state constitution, threatening girls' safety and sports, as well as basic religious liberties.
The amendment’s “sex” and “gender” distinction embeds gender ideology in the constitution, pressuring schools, businesses, and government to adopt policies that conflict with biological reality.
The proposed amendment reduces marriage to a source of personal happiness, and eliminates language that emphasizes the benefits and obligations of marriage that are important to children, family-building and stable communities.
By inserting gender ideology in the constitution the amendment threatens women’s rights in sports, locker rooms, and shelters, allowing biological men in women’s spaces and raising safety and privacy concerns.
The amendment has no conscience or religious exemption for clergy or members of religious organizations, businesses, and others with moral or ethical objections." - The Family Foundation
"Ballot Question 2 would remove the definition of marriage as the “union between one man and one woman” from our constitution, and would replace it with “any lawful marriage between two adult persons.” We affirm the dignity of every person. We also proclaim the truth that marriage – created by God – is and will always be the union of a man and a woman. God’s design for marriage – woven into the fabric of our being – was established before any nation, religion or law. We are called to honor and preserve it. The marital union – between a man and a woman who give themselves completely to each other – is a unique and irreplaceable bond that is the basis of the family and society." - Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Arlington, Barry C. Knestout, Bishop of Richmond
"House Joint Resolution 9/Senate Joint Resolution 249 would not only repeal Virginia’s constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman, but it would also replace it with dangerous, precedent-setting language that distinguishes “sex” from “gender” in Virginia law for the first time. This would enshrine flawed legal standards that could be used to justify policies that threaten women’s safety and privacy." - Heritage Action
ENDORSEMENTS
Yes
Abigail Spanberger (Liberal)
Jennifer Carroll Foy (Liberal)
David Reid (Liberal)
R. Creigh Deeds (Liberal)
Joshua Cole (Liberal)
No
Bill DeSteph (Other)
Wendell Walker (Conservative)
James A. "Jay" Leftwich (Conservative)
Bryce Reeves (Conservative)
Michael Webert (Conservative)
FINANCIAL BACKING
The following information provides insight into the money being spent to pass or defeat the ballot measure.
Yes
VIRGINIA QUESTION 2, REMOVE CONSTITUTIONAL SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN AMENDMENT (2026)
This question is on the ballot in Virginia as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2026. As of September 25, 2026, the committees formed to support Virginia Question 2, Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment (2026) are:
VIRGINIANS FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Selected contributions to: "Virginians for Marriage Equality" include:
- American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia
- Reginald J Brown
- New Virginia Majority
FEMINISTS FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Selected contributions to: "Feminists for Marriage Equality" include:
- Feminist Majority Foundation
No
VIRGINIA QUESTION 2, REMOVE CONSTITUTIONAL SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN AMENDMENT (2026)
This question is on the ballot in Virginia as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2026. As of September 25, 2026, the committees formed to oppose Virginia Question 2, Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment (2026) are:
DEFEND VIRGINIA'S SONS AND DAUGHTERS, INC.
Selected contributions to: "Defend Virginia's Sons and Daughters, Inc." include:
- Elizabeth Chardon Jenks
- Marian Dixon
- S. Vance Wilkins
Selected contributions to: "Virginians Against 3" include:
- The Family Foundation
OTHER INFORMATION
