RepublicanIn office since Nov 2023

Delores Oates

Virginia State Delegate, District 31 since 2023. Next on the ballot in 2027.

Virginia State Delegate, District 31

In office
2 yrs
Since 2023
Bills became law
2
45 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed
0.4%
Chamber median 1.0%
With party
98%
On votes splitting the parties
Last margin
+19.7
Won 2025
Next election
2027
Nov 2, 2027

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

  • Communications, Technology and Innovation
  • Public Safety

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 45 sponsored · 2 became law
BillIntroCmteHouseSenateLaw
HB 1217 Keeper of livery stable; liens, requirements.
Became law Apr 2026
HJ 104 Commending the Skyline High School wrestling team.
Vetoed Apr 2026
HR 85 Commending the Front Royal Little League 12U All-Stars.
Failed in the Senate Apr 2026
HR 125 Commending Alice Barlow.
Failed in the Senate Apr 2026
HR 43 Celebrating the life of Marvin Ashby, Sr.
Failed in the Senate Apr 2026

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Oates sits in the Virginia House of Delegates

Oates is closer to the center than 15% of the chamber's Republicans.

Dem. medianRep. medianOatesMore liberalMore conservative

Closest: Mike Webert, Justin Pence, Mitchell Cornett

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:08 PM ET

With Oates’s party

  • Votes with the chamber's Republicans98%
  • Cosponsorships of the other party's bills32%

Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Oates’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Oates was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Elections

Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.

YearRaceResultMargin
2025Virginia House of Delegates, District 31WonR+19.7
2023Virginia House of Delegates, District 31WonR+25.2

Source: 99chambers results archive

Seats Oates has held

Source: 99chambers results archive

Who Oates has run against

  • J. Shane Boswell (D) · 2025 general, won
  • Steven E. Foreman (D) · 2023 general, won

Source: 99chambers results archive

How we know Oates

One person, matched across every source we use.

Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET