The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. An upper house is one of two chambers of a Bicameral Legislature, the other chamber being the Lower house. The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is composed of 40 Senators and is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. A senate is a Deliberative body, often the Upper house or chamber of a Legislature or Parliament. The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Prior to Independence, the other part of government was represented by the Governor's Council, an upper house made up of executive counselors appointed by the Governor as advisers. The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected lower house in the legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia in
The Lieutenant Governor, unlike the Vice President of the United States in the United States Senate, presides daily over the Virginia Senate. The Vice President of the United States is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives In the Lieutenant Governor's absence, a president pro tempore presides, usually a powerful member of the majority party. A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer The Senate is equal with the House of Delegates, the lower chamber of the legislature, except that taxation bills must originate in the House, just like in the U.S. Congress. Virginia House of Delegates is the Lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses
Virginia Senators are elected every four years by the voters of the several senatorial districts on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November. The last election took place on 6 November 2007. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
In the 2007 election, the Democratic Party reclaimed the majority in the Senate for the first time since 1999, when the Republican Party took control of the Senate for the first time in history. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party.
Contents |
From January 2008
| Affiliation | Members |
|
| Democratic Party | 21 | |
| Republican Party | 19 | |
| Total |
40 | |
Leadership
- President Pro Tem: Chuck Colgan
- Majority Leader: Dick Saslaw
- Minority Leader: Tommy Norment
Members
| Name | Party and District | First Election | |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Miller | Democratic Party (1) | 2007 | |
| Maime Locke | Democratic Party (2) | 2003 | |
| Tommy Norment | Republican Party (3) | 1991 | |
| Ryan McDougle | Republican Party (4) | 2006 | |
| Yvonne B. Miller | Democratic Party (5) | 1987 | |
| Ralph Northam | Democratic Party (6) | 2007 | |
| Frank Wagner | Republican Party (7) | 2001 | |
| Ken Stolle | Republican Party (8) | 1991 | |
| A. Donald McEachin | Democratic Party (9) | 2007 | |
| John Watkins | Republican Party (10) | 1997 | |
| Stephen Martin | Republican Party (11) | 1993 | |
| Walter Stosch | Republican Party (12) | 1991 | |
| Fred Quayle | Republican Party (13) | 1991 | |
| Harry Blevins | Republican Party (14) | 2001 | |
| Frank Ruff | Republican Party (15) | 2000 | |
| Henry Marsh III | Democratic Party (16) | 1991 | |
| Edd Houck | Democratic Party (17) | 1983 | |
| Louise Lucas | Democratic Party (18) | 1991 | |
| Robert Hurt | Republican Party (19) | 2007 | |
| Roscoe Reynolds | Democratic Party (20) | 1996 | |
| John S. Edwards | Democratic Party (21) | 1995 | |
| Ralph K. Smith | Republican Party (22) | 2007 | |
| Steve Newman | Republican Party (23) | 1995 | |
| Emmett Hanger | Republican Party (24) | 1995 | |
| Creigh Deeds | Democratic Party (25) | 2001 | |
| Mark Obenshain | Republican Party (26) | 2003 | |
| Jill Holtzman Vogel | Republican Party (27) | 2007 | |
| Richard H. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Charles J "Chuck" Colgan (born in Frostburg Maryland on September 25, 1926) is a longtime member of the Virginia State Senate. Richard Lawrence "Dick" Saslaw (born February 5, 1940) is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 35th John C Miller is the Democratic freshman state senator for the 1st District of the Virginia Senate. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Maime E Locke is a Democratic member of the Virginia Senate, representing the 2nd District since 2004 The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Yvonne B Miller (born July 4, 1934 in Edenton, North Carolina) is an American politician and Democratic State Senator The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Ralph S Northam is the Democratic state senator for the 6th District of the Virginia Senate, having defeated Republican incumbent Nick Rerras in The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Frank Wagner (1955- is a Republican member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 7th District since 2002. Aston Donald McEachin is a Democratic member of the Virginia State Senate, representing the 9th District since 2008 The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Walter Stosch is a member of the Virginia Senate and is the former Republican Majority Leader. Frederick MacDonald "Fred" Quayle (born February 16, 1936 in Suffolk Virginia is an American politician and Republican State Senator who represents Henry L Marsh III is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 16th District since 1992 The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. R Edward "Edd" Houck is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 17th District since 1984 The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. L Louise Lucas is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 18th District since 1992 The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. William Roscoe Reynolds is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 20th District since 1997. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Ralph K Smith was the Mayor of Roanoke Virginia, United States from 2000 to 2004 Robert Creigh Deeds (born January 4, 1958 in Richmond) is a Virginia Lawyer and Politician who serves in the Senate The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Mark Obenshain (born June 11, 1962) is a Republican member of the Virginia Senate from Harrisonburg Jill Holtzman Vogel is a Republican state senator in the Virginia State Senate for the 27th district Stuart | Republican Party (28) | 2007 | |
| Chuck Colgan | Democratic Party (29) | 1975 | |
| Patsy Ticer | Democratic Party (30) | 1995 | |
| Mary Margaret Whipple | Democratic Party (31) | 1995 | |
| Janet Howell | Democratic Party (32) | 1991 | |
| Mark Herring | Democratic Party (33) | 2006 | |
| Chap Petersen | Democratic Party (34) | 2007 | |
| Richard L. Saslaw | Democratic Party (35) | 1980 | |
| Toddy Puller | Democratic Party (36) | 2000 | |
| Ken Cuccinelli | Republican Party (37) | 2001 | |
| Phillip Puckett | Democratic Party (38) | 1998 | |
| George Barker | Democratic Party (39) | 2007 | |
| William C. Charles J "Chuck" Colgan (born in Frostburg Maryland on September 25, 1926) is a longtime member of the Virginia State Senate. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Patsy Ticer is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 30th District since 1996. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Mary Margaret Whipple is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 31st District since 1996. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Janet Denison Howell is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 32nd District since 1992 The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Mark R Herring is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 33rd District since a special election in 2006 winning against Republican The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. John Chapman "Chap" Petersen is an American Politician who was formerly in the Virginia House of Delegates for Fairfax Virginia The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Richard Lawrence "Dick" Saslaw (born February 5, 1940) is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 35th The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Linda Todd "Toddy" Puller is a Democratic member of the Virginia Senate, representing the 36th District since 2000. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Kenneth T 'Ken' Cuccinelli II is a Republican Virginia State Senator from Virginia representing the 37th district Phillip P Puckett is a Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 38th District since 1998. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. George Barker may refer to George Barker (painter (1882-1965 was a portrait and landscape painter from the United States George Barker (poet The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Wampler, Jr. | Republican Party (40) | 1988 | |
Senate seal
The Senate has its own coat of arms designed and granted by the College of Arms in England. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating Heraldry and granting new Armorial bearings for England, Wales England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland [1][2] The coat of arms also makes up the official seal of the Virginia Senate. It bears no resemblance to the Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia, which is the seal of the state as a whole.
The coat of arms adopted January 22, 1981 was designed by the College of Arms and supposedly based on the seal and coat of arms used by the London Company, the royally-chartered English entrepreneurs who funded the European settlement of Virginia. The London Company (also called the Charter of the Virginia Company of London) was an English Joint stock company established by royal charter by However, other than both devices displaying a quartered shield, there is little resemblance between them.
The Senate's arms have a shield in the center which is divided into four sections by a red cross. In each quarter are smaller shields representing the arms of four countries (England, France, Scotland, and Ireland) that contributed settlers to Virginia's earliest waves of European immigration. [1][2]
The four coats of arms, a small crest of a crowned female head with unbound hair representing Queen Elizabeth (the Virgin Queen for whom Virginia was named), and the dragon (part of the Elizabethan royal seal of England) represent Virginia's European heritage. [1][2] The Senate's seal makes no reference to Virginia's Native American or African American heritage.
An ivory gavel emblazoned on the vertical arm of the red cross represents the Senate as a law making body. The cardinal and dogwood depicted are Virginia's official state bird and tree. The ribbon contains the Latin motto of the Senate, Floreat Senatus Virginiae, which means "May the Senate of Virginia flourish. " [1][2]
References
- ^ a b c d Official Virginia State Senate "Capitol Classroom" site. Accessed November 7, 2007.
- ^ a b c d Answers.Com: Virginia State Senate Seal Accessed November 7, 2007.
See also
External links
- Virginia General Assembly official government website
- Project Vote Smart - State Senate of Virginia
- Official Virginia Emblems Includes a very small version of the Seal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Virginia