By VABayNews Staff

By sending a flurry of proposed constitutional amendments to the ballot, Governor Abigail Spanberger is trying to cast herself as a defender of Virginians’ rights. On its face, that might sound reasonable. But a closer look shows a strategy more aligned with national partisan priorities than with the nuanced needs and concerns of everyday Virginians.

At a time when voters are struggling with inflation, crime, and the cost of living, Spanberger has prioritized enshrining highly contested policy areas — including reproductive healthcare autonomy and the restoration of voting rights for some ex-offenders — into the state constitution. Rather than championing broad reforms that improve economic opportunity and security, this administration seems determined to leverage social issues in ways that will deepen divisions rather than unite the Commonwealth.

Spanberger’s press release frames these amendments as responses to “nationwide attacks on our rights, freedoms, and elections,” but it fails to acknowledge that expanding the constitution with politically charged language can have lasting and unpredictable legal consequences. Amending the most foundational legal document in Virginia ought to be reserved for issues where there is overwhelming consensus — not for advancing agenda items that align neatly with national Democratic talking points.

The governor’s approach also sidesteps a critical principle of constitutionalism: leaving policy decisions to the legislative process unless absolutely necessary. When sweeping social and policy preferences are constitutionalized, it limits future lawmakers’ ability to adjust and refine the law in response to real-world consequences. That’s especially concerning when the “rights” being addressed — like abortion and voting rights restoration — are already governed through existing statutes and court precedent, not a void that cries out for constitutional codification.

Moreover, Spanberger’s narrative of “trusting Virginia voters to respond” rings hollow if her strategy is to frame the referendum debate in national terms rather than engaging Virginians about tangible local impacts. Rural and suburban communities in Virginia are not single-issue blocs; they want better roads, safer neighborhoods, and job growth. Redirecting public attention to culture war issues may energize one wing of the electorate, but it risks alienating voters who see this move as disconnected from their daily challenges.

Finally, while all constitutional amendments require voter approval, the governor’s unilateral celebration of sending them to referendum glosses over the reality that this is a partisan play. The process has been used historically to settle foundational governance questions — not to lock in positions that could, with changing social norms or future judicial interpretations, box in the Commonwealth for decades.

In the end, what Virginia voters deserve are solutions that respect individual liberties and prioritize prosperity, safety, and shared governance. Elevating polarized policy disputes to the constitution through executive self-congratulation does neither. This is a missed opportunity to build consensus and focus on issues that deliver measurable benefits for all Virginians.

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