Virginia State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2023

Virginia Senate District 23

A district of about 220,000 people, 50% Black, 28% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+41.5 relative to the nation for president.

2023 election

Nov 7, 2023
  1. Mamie Locke (D) · won89.7%
  2. Write-ins and other votes (OTH)10.3%

Unopposed.

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.

D+41.57th most
Democratic
Most DemocraticMost Republican21st seat · the majority lineDistrict 23

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. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.

YearWinnerRunner-upWon by
Lines first used in 2023
2023Mamie Locke (D)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 2012
2019Stephen D. Newman (R)—Unopposed
2015Stephen D. Newman (R)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 2002
2011Stephen D. Newman (R)Robert W. T. Short Sr. (D)56.0
2007Stephen D. Newman (R)—Unopposed
2003Stephen D. Newman (R)R. E. Clarke (D)28.2
Lines first used in 1992
1999Stephen D. Newman (R)J. C. Campbell Sr. (D)33.9
1995Stephen D. Newman (R)B. J. Coleman (D)30.6
Lines first used in 1982
1991Elliot S. Schewel (D)—Unopposed
1987Elliot S. Schewel (D)Jeffrey D. Somers (I)54.6
1983Elliot S. Schewel (D)Harry M. Covert Jr. (R)52.7
Lines first used in 1972
1979Elliot S. Schewel (D)—Unopposed
1975Elliot S. Schewel (D)William O. McCabe Jr. (R)17.7
Lines first used in 1962
1971Robert S. Burruss Jr. (R)S. J. Thompson Jr. (D)1.7

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 23

The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 23's area in each.

U.S. House
VA-3 100%
Virginia House of Delegates
HD-86 56%, HD-87 23%, HD-85 21%

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
PresidentD+39.1
U.S. SenateD+42.6

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 23.

Adults with a bachelor's degree28% 18th pct · 33rd of 40 in VA

Lower than 82% of seats.

White adults without a degree26% 41st pct · 24th of 40 in VA

Lower than 59% of seats.

Hispanic residents8% 38th pct · 25th of 40 in VA

Lower than 62% of seats.

Black residents50% 100th pct · 1st of 40 in VA

Highest of 40 seats.

Asian residents2% 33rd pct · 27th of 40 in VA

Lower than 67% of seats.

People per square mile1,268 59th pct · 17th of 40 in VA

Denser than 59% of seats.

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET