Special Elections Held Jan. 6 in Parts of Chesterfield
TL;DR: Democrats Mike Jones and Charlie Schmidt won special elections on January 6 to fill state Senate District 15 and House District 77 seats, maintaining Democratic control of these Richmond-area districts.
Quick facts
- Who: Mike Jones and Charlie Schmidt (Democrats); John Thomas and Richard Stonage (Republicans)
- What: Special elections to fill vacancies in Virginia Senate District 15 and House of Delegates District 77
- When: January 6, 2026
- Where: Parts of Chesterfield County and Richmond, Virginia
The story
Voters in portions of Chesterfield County and Richmond participated in two special elections on January 6, 2026, to fill vacancies created when state Senator Ghazala Hashmi was elected Lieutenant Governor in November 2025 and House Delegate Mike Jones moved to fill her Senate seat.
Democrat Mike Jones decisively won the State Senate District 15 race, defeating Republican John Thomas 67.8% to 32.2%, with 15,409 votes cast. Senate District 15 is a heavily Democratic district spanning portions of Chesterfield County and Richmond. Jones' victory allowed him to be sworn in before the Virginia General Assembly began its 2026 session, enabling full participation in legislative work.
Democrat Charlie Schmidt won the House District 77 race with 76.5% of the vote, defeating Republican Richard Stonage's 23.4%. Schmidt, a former ACLU attorney, won a Democratic "firehouse primary" in mid-December before prevailing in the special election with 5,970 votes cast. He fills the remainder of Jones' unexpired House term for the Richmond-based district.
Both victories maintained Democratic control of these seats and reflected strong Democratic performance in a district that favored the Democratic presidential candidate by 28 points in the 2024 presidential election. The results ensured stable Democratic representation in the Richmond area ahead of the 2026 legislative session.
Key players
- Mike Jones — Democratic candidate for State Senate District 15; elected state senator
- Charlie Schmidt — Democratic candidate for House District 77; elected state delegate
- John Thomas — Republican candidate for State Senate District 15
- Richard Stonage — Republican candidate for House District 77
- Ghazala Hashmi — State senator who vacated SD15 to become Virginia's Lieutenant Governor
Key dates
- 2025-11-05 — Ghazala Hashmi elected Virginia Lieutenant Governor
- 2026-01-06 — Special elections held for SD15 and HD77
- 2026-01-17 — Ghazala Hashmi sworn in as Lieutenant Governor
The case for
These special elections ensured that constituents in Senate District 15 and House District 77 had full representation ready for the 2026 General Assembly session, avoiding any legislative vacuum. Holding elections promptly allowed newly elected Democrats to participate fully in governance from the start of the session, rather than having vacant seats during critical early legislative work.
The case against
Special elections held in off-cycle months typically see lower voter turnout compared to general elections, potentially reducing the breadth of input into these important state legislative races. The compressed timeline and limited campaigning period in special elections can advantage organized political parties over grassroots candidates without established networks.
Why it matters: These special elections filled two important state legislative seats that represent parts of Chesterfield County and Richmond in Richmond's Capitol, ensuring constituents have full representation as state lawmakers return for the 2026 session. The results confirm Democratic control of these districts through the current legislative cycle.
Places
Development timeline
- 2025-11-05Ghazala Hashmi elected Virginia Lieutenant Governor: State Senator Hashmi wins statewide election, creating vacancy in State Senate District 15 [[source]](https://bluevirginia.us/2025-12/va-senate-president-pro-tem-louise-lucas-calls-1-6-26-special-election)
- 2025-12-15Charlie Schmidt wins HD77 Democratic firehouse primary: Former ACLU attorney selected as Democratic nominee for House District 77 special election [[source]](https://www.vpm.org/elections/2025-12-15/charlie-schmidt-hd77-va-general-assembly)
- 2025-12-27Early voting begins for SD15 and HD77 special elections: Voters in affected Chesterfield and Richmond precincts can cast ballots in advance of January 6 election day [[source]](https://www.chesterfield.gov/m/NewsFlash/Home/Detail/6881)
- 2026-01-06Special elections held for SD15 and HD77: Mike Jones wins SD15 with 67.8% and Charlie Schmidt wins HD77 with 76.5%, maintaining Democratic control [[source]](https://www.wric.com/news/politics/local-election-hq/special-elections-held-on-jan-6-for-parts-of-chesterfield-and-richmond/)
- 2026-01-17Ghazala Hashmi sworn in as Virginia Lieutenant Governor: Hashmi officially assumes statewide office [[source]](https://bluevirginia.us/2026-01/following-va-state-sen-ghazala-hashmi-winning-the-lg-race)
Related links
- Chesterfield County Elections — SD15 & HD77 Special Elections
- Virginia State Board of Elections — Upcoming Elections
- Virginia General Assembly — Session Information
Read the original at Google News: Chesterfield County →
Sources
- Chesterfield County — SD15, HD77 Special Elections
- WRIC ABC 8News — Special elections held on Jan. 6 for parts of Chesterfield and Richmond
- VPM — Democrats Jones, Schmidt win Richmond-area General Assembly seats
- Blue Virginia — Several Upcoming Virginia Special Elections in January
- Virginia Mercury — Special election for Hashmi's Richmond-area Senate seat set for Jan. 6