⚠️ NOVEMBER 3, 2026 — VIRGINIA GENERAL ELECTION — VOTE NO ON HJ1, HJ2, AND HJ3

Talking Points & Resources

Use these ready-to-share points at the door, in conversations, at church, and on social media. Scroll down for social media copy, objection responses, and downloadable materials.

The One-Minute Version

Three constitutional amendments are on Virginia's November 3, 2026 ballot. Constitutional amendments are permanent — they cannot be repealed by a future governor or legislature. All three passed on near-party-line votes with little to no Republican support.

One-Minute Brief — All Three Amendments

HJ1 — Abortion

  • Writes abortion into Virginia's Constitution permanently
  • Mental health exception is undefined — functions as late-term abortion on demand
  • One physician's opinion, no oversight required
  • 64–34 / 21–18 — zero bipartisan support
  • Future legislatures are constitutionally blocked from tightening any restriction

HJ2 — Felon Voting

  • Restores voting rights on release from prison — not after completing the full sentence
  • People on active parole would immediately be eligible to vote
  • No consideration of restitution to victims
  • 65–33 / 21–18 — near party-line
  • Eliminates governor's case-by-case restoration power permanently

HJ3 — Marriage & Faith

  • Writes same-sex marriage into Virginia's Constitution (already legal federally)
  • No religious exemptions in the amendment text
  • Virginia Values Act: $50K first offense, $100K per violation for businesses
  • 67–31 / 26–13 — near party-line
  • Courts will use this to override religious freedom defenses — permanently
Print Full Flyer

What to Say — by Amendment

Lead With the Constitution, Not the Policy

"Even if you support abortion access, this doesn't have to go in the constitution. Laws can be updated as circumstances change — a constitutional amendment cannot. This is about protecting flexibility for the future, not about taking away any current right."

The Mental Health Loophole

"Read the actual text. The amendment lets a physician authorize an abortion in the third trimester to protect the patient's 'mental health.' There is no definition, no standard, no oversight. One doctor's word is enough — at any stage of pregnancy."

Zero Bipartisan Support

"This passed 64–34 in the House and 21–18 in the Senate. Not a single Republican voted yes. When half the legislature is completely shut out, that's not consensus — that's one party rewriting the constitution for everyone."

Permanent Means Permanent

"To reverse a constitutional amendment in Virginia, the legislature has to pass it twice over two sessions and hold another statewide vote. That's designed to never happen. When you vote yes, you're not just setting policy — you're locking it in for your children and grandchildren."

→ Full talking points and Q&A for HJ1

Parole Is Still a Sentence

"When someone is on parole, they haven't finished their sentence — they've been released under conditions. They still report to a parole officer. They can still be sent back to prison. HJ2 treats the moment someone walks out of prison as the moment their sentence is complete. Those are not the same thing."

The Governor's Process Works

"Virginia governors have been restoring civil rights to hundreds of thousands of people over the last decade. The process works. HJ2 doesn't improve it — it eliminates it and replaces it with a blanket rule that doesn't account for any individual circumstances, including violent crimes."

Victims Are Left Out

"Under HJ2, a person convicted of a violent crime — who never paid a dollar of court-ordered restitution to their victim — would have their voting rights automatically restored the day they leave prison. There is no mechanism to require restitution first. Victims don't factor in at all."

You Can Support Rights Restoration and Still Vote NO

"If you believe people who've completed their FULL sentence — including parole and probation — should have their rights restored automatically, that's a reasonable position. But that's not what HJ2 does. It restores rights on prison release, not after full sentence completion. And once it's in the constitution, we can't adjust it."

→ Full talking points and Q&A for HJ2

This Isn't About Legality — It's About Courts

"Same-sex marriage has been legal in Virginia since 2014, federally since 2015. HJ3 doesn't make it more or less legal. What it does is give courts a new constitutional argument against anyone who declines to participate — like a photographer, a florist, or a venue owner with a faith-based conviction."

The Fines Are Already Real

"Under Virginia's existing law, declining to serve a same-sex wedding can result in fines of $50,000 for the first offense and $100,000 for every offense after that. HJ3 doesn't add those fines — they already exist. But HJ3 makes them constitutionally harder to challenge."

No Religious Exemptions in the Amendment

"Read the language. HJ3 says Virginia shall not allow licensed marriages to be treated differently. There is no carve-out for religious organizations, faith-based businesses, or individuals with sincerely held beliefs. The constitution will be working against them in every courtroom."

You Can Support Marriage Equality and Still Vote NO

"If you believe same-sex couples should be able to marry, great — they already can. You don't have to vote YES on HJ3 to protect that. What you ARE voting on is whether to use the constitution to shut down religious freedom defenses permanently. Those are two different questions."

→ Full talking points and Q&A for HJ3

Common Objections & Responses

"You're just anti-abortion / anti-LGBTQ / anti-voting rights."
This is a constitutional question, not just a policy question. You can support the underlying policy and still believe it doesn't belong in the constitution permanently. The issue is that constitutional amendments can't be adjusted when circumstances change.
"Women need constitutional protection after Dobbs."
Virginia already has strong statutory abortion protections. HJ1 goes further by writing specific language — including the undefined mental health exception — permanently into the constitution. Statutory protections can be adjusted; this cannot.
"People who served their time deserve to vote."
Many do — and Virginia's existing system allows the governor to restore rights to those who've completed their full sentence. HJ2 extends that to people still on parole, still under court supervision. The question isn't whether rights should ever be restored — it's about when and whether that should be constitutionally locked in forever.
"Same-sex marriage is already legal — what's the harm?"
The harm is in how courts will use this provision in religious freedom cases. A constitutional mandate that licensed marriages not be "treated differently" gives courts a new tool against anyone — a photographer, a baker, a venue — whose faith leads them to decline. That's a real, ongoing legal fight.
"These passed through the democratic process."
So did every law — and laws can be repealed. That's the whole point. Constitutional amendments are designed to be nearly impossible to reverse. The "democratic process" check for constitutional amendments is voter ratification. That's this election. That's your vote.
"Why do you trust politicians to make these decisions instead of the constitution?"
Elected politicians are accountable to voters every 2–4 years. If they pass a bad law, voters can remove them and the next legislature can fix it. A constitutional amendment removes that accountability entirely. The constitution is supposed to set the framework — not resolve every policy debate permanently.

Ready-to-Post Social Media Copy

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All three amendments — General
🚨 Virginia voters: 3 constitutional amendments are on the November 3 ballot. Constitutional amendments CANNOT be undone by a future governor or legislature. Once they pass, they're permanent.

Vote NO on HJ1 (abortion), HJ2 (felon voting), and HJ3 (marriage/faith).

Learn more → RiseUpNow.us #VoteNoVA
HJ1 — Abortion
Virginia's HJ1 would write abortion into the state constitution permanently — including a "mental health exception" for third trimester abortions so broad it effectively removes all limits. One doctor's opinion. No oversight.

Zero Republicans voted for it. This isn't consensus — it's a permanent change with zero bipartisan support.

Vote NO on HJ1. → RiseUpNow.us
HJ2 — Felon Voting
HJ2 would give felons on active parole the right to vote the moment they leave prison — before completing their sentence, before paying restitution to victims.

Virginia's governor has been restoring rights for years. HJ2 doesn't improve that process — it eliminates it, permanently.

Vote NO on HJ2. → RiseUpNow.us
HJ3 — Faith & Marriage
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Virginia since 2014. HJ3 isn't about legality — it's about writing a no-exemptions constitutional mandate that courts will use to override religious freedom defenses, permanently.

Virginia Values Act fines: $50K first offense, $100K every time after. Photographers. Florists. Venues. No exceptions.

Vote NO on HJ3. → RiseUpNow.us

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Printable Flyer

One-page flyer to print and hand out at church, in your neighborhood, or post on social media.

View & Print Flyer
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HJ1 — Abortion

Full details, ballot text, talking points, and Q&A for Amendment 1.

Full Details
🗳️

HJ2 — Felon Voting

Full details, current vs. proposed comparison, talking points, and Q&A for Amendment 2.

Full Details

HJ3 — Marriage & Faith

Full details, fine breakdowns, talking points, and Q&A for Amendment 3.

Full Details
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Sign All Three Petitions

Add your name and send a letter to Richmond on all three amendments via RiseUpNow.us.

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Full Campaign Resources

Videos, articles, and campaign materials for all three amendments at RiseUpNow.us.

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Vote NO on All Three — November 3, 2026

Sign the petitions, share the flyer, have the conversations. Everything you need is at RiseUpNow.us.

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