Virginia State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2023
Virginia Senate District 21
A district of about 208,000 people, 42% Black, 33% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+48.9 relative to the nation for president.
2023 election
Nov 7, 2023- Angelia Graves (D) · won77.0%
- Giovanni G. "Gio" Dolmo (IND)21.7%
- Write-ins and other votes (OTH)1.2%
Source: Virginia Department of ElectionsUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:42 PM ET
Where it sits among all 40 seats
Every Virginia State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
14 races since 1971; the seat changed party 2 times. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2023 | |||
| 2023 | Angelia Graves (D) | Giovanni G. "Gio" Dolmo (I) | 55.3 |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2019 | John S. Edwards (D) | Steven Lee Nelson (I) | 31.7 |
| 2015 | John S. Edwards (D) | Nancy V. Dye (R) | 8.4 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2011 | John S. Edwards (D) | David A. Nutter (R) | 11.9 |
| 2007 | John S. Edwards (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 2003 | John S. Edwards (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 1999 | John S. Edwards (D) | William H. Fralin Jr. (R) | 17.7 |
| 1995 | John S. Edwards (D) | J. Brandon Bell II (R) | 9.1 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1991 | J. Brandon Bell II (R)Flip | J. Granger Macfarlane (D) | 7.0 |
| 1987 | J. Granger Macfarlane (D) | William H. Flannagan (R) | 26.7 |
| 1983 | J. Granger Macfarlane (D) | Ray L. Garland (R) | 5.3 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1979 | Ray L. Garland (R)Flip | William B. Hopkins (D) | 9.8 |
| 1975 | William B. Hopkins (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1971 | William B. Hopkins (D) | — | Unopposed |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 21
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 21's area in each.
- U.S. House
- VA-3 100%
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2024 | |
|---|---|
| President | D+46.3 |
| U.S. Senate | D+49.1 |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 40 seats. Small marks are other seats in Virginia. The black marker is District 21.
Lower than 59% of seats.
Lower than 69% of seats.
Higher than 51% of seats.
Higher than 90% of seats.
Higher than 54% of seats.
Denser than 79% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 2350% Black · 28% college gradsD+41.5Not up in 2026District 18
44% Black · 28% college gradsD+27.9Not up in 2026District 14
42% Black · 48% college gradsD+65.7Not up in 2026District 15
21% Hispanic · 37% BlackD+30.3Not up in 2026
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET