It all came down to one ballot, a tie, and two names in a bowl.
Shelly Simonds’ name wasn’t drawn that day, but she was the one who inspired thousands not to give up on a more progressive Virginia. After the election, voters in the district and beyond showed their support. Shelly kept on fighting and in 2019, she won!
As a Delegate, Shelly has been able to participate in the first Democratic control of the House of Delegates since 1999. The Democratic majority has been able to achieve important and needed reforms, including:
- Gun safety initiatives
- The ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment
- Anti-discrimination provisions for LGBTQ+ individuals
- Raising the state’s minimum wage
- Clean Energy, including plans to make the Commonwealth’s electric grid carbon-free by 2045
- The removal of Confederate statues
- Criminal justice reform, including a ban on chokeholds, a ban on most police use of tear gas and rubber bullets, and establishing minimum training standards for law enforcement agencies
These are just some of the issues Shelly is fighting for as a Delegate. If these are your priorities, too, make sure you’re registered to vote. Your vote, and your voice, could help make progressive change continue to happen in Virginia.
Here’s how it all happened…
