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Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter provides an update on my legislation, shares information on early voting for the June 17 Primary Election , discusses Mobile Office Hours provided by my team, and highlights recent community engagements. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.
Governor's Actions on Legislation
Governor Youngkin’s deadline to act on the General Assembly’s responses to his vetoes and amendments on legislation that we passed during the 2025 Session was last Friday, May 2. As with other deadlines, the Governor’s administration waited until the final hours to announce his actions on my final two bills that were returned to him, removing the amendments that he had made.
For the second year in a row, Governor Youngkin vetoed my Virginia Right to Contraception Act, siding with the extremist policies spearheaded by Donald Trump over the health care of Virginians. This veto is not just extreme; it is out-of-touch with the public as a vast majority of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats support the right to contraception. My joint statement with House patron, Delegate Marcia ‘Cia’ Price [[link removed]] , is available. The Governor’s veto has been covered across the state in Richmond [[link removed]] , Norfolk [[link removed]] , Augusta [[link removed]] , and Charlottesville [[link removed]] .
The Governor’s action does not mean our work is done. Virginia remains the last state in the South without extreme restrictions on reproductive freedom, but these freedoms are under threat. As the only candidate in the Lieutenant Governor race endorsed by pro-choice organizations , I am committed to this fight. I am vigorously engaged in the necessary work to protect the fundamental rights of Virginians and to ensure that reproductive health care remains safe and accessible.
My second item of legislation which establishes a pilot program for virtual power plants was signed into law; the General Assembly voted down the unnecessary amendments offered by the Governor, and he has now signed the original bill. Virtual power plants enable us to meet growing energy demands by combining a network of small-scale, distributed energy resources (DER) such as rooftop solar, smart appliances, and electric vehicles. The Virtual Power Plant connects and manages these DERs in a system that enables them to act as a single large power plant, allowing them to collectively respond to grid demands and provide stability to the electricity supply. This legislation will usher in the largest virtual power plant pilot program in the United States, benefiting ratepayers while simultaneously enhancing Virginia’s energy resilience and reliability. My joint statement with House patron, Delegate Phil Hernandez [[link removed]] , is available.
In total, eight of my bills passed the Assembly and were signed into law by the Governor, addressing areas of healthcare accessibility, higher education affordability, safety for our students, and more. I look forward to continuing to build on this work alongside my Democratic colleagues as Virginia’s next Lieutenant Governor.
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Early Voting is Underway
Early voting is underway across Virginia for the June 17 Primary Elections ; early voting will be available now through Saturday, June 14. A comprehensive list of all primaries taking place in Virginia is accessible through the Virginia Department of Elections [[link removed]-(for-web)-v3.pdf] . All 133 Virginia counties and cities are holding Democratic primary elections because of the nomination contests for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General; primaries are also being held for those districts in which either Democratic or Republican House of Delegate races are being contested. Important information regarding the election is outlined below.
Early Voting
The early voting period is open now; the final day of early voting is Saturday, June 14. Virginia’s localities offer early voting at their local registrars office or other central location, and some jurisdictions offer early in-person voting at multiple satellite locations throughout the early voting period. A comprehensive list of early voting locations [[link removed]] provides useful information. For constituents in Senate District 15 (City of Richmond and Chesterfield County), early voting locations are the following:
City of Richmond Early Voting
Early in-person voting is available for City of Richmond residents at the Office of Elections (2134 West Laburnum Avenue, Richmond) from 8:30am until 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, from May 2 until June 14. Saturday voting is available on June 7 and June 14 from 9:00am until 5:00pm.
Additional satellite locations will be available beginning Monday, June 2. Voting hours for satellite locations may be confirmed through the Richmond Registrar’s Office [[link removed]] . Residents registered to vote in the City of Richmond may vote at any of the following locations during this next phase of the early voting period (June 2 through June 14):
* City Hall (900 East Broad Street, Richmond)
* Hickory Hill Community Center (3000 East Belt Boulevard, Richmond)
Chesterfield County Early Voting
Early in-person voting is available at Central Library (7051 Lucy Corr Blvd) from 9:00am until 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, from May 2 until June 14. Saturday voting is available on June 7 and June 14 from 9:00am until 5:00pm.
In Chesterfield, early voting is not available at the Chesterfield Registrar’s Office. No other in-person early voting locations besides Central Library will be available for the Primary Election for Chesterfield County voters.
Additional information is available through the Virginia Department of Elections website [[link removed]] .
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Mobile Office Hours - Wednesday, May 14
Next Wednesday, May 14, my staff will be hosting Mobile Office Hours at Broad Rock Library in the City of Richmond from 5:00PM until 6:30PM. Staff will be able to assist with casework involving state agencies, discuss legislative concerns, and receive feedback from constituents on issues that matter to them. Registration is open [[link removed]] . ¿Necesita servicios en español? Haga clic aquí [[link removed]] . Future mobile office hours will be announced in this newsletter, as well as on my Facebook [[link removed]] , Instagram [[link removed]] , and X [[link removed]] .
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Select Community Engagements
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On Thursday, I joined workers across the central region to mark International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, in protest of Donald Trump and Elon Musk's attacks on workers. Layoffs and the freezing of our federal workforce through the “Department of Government Efficiency” are having a disproportionate effect on thousands of Virginians and on the Commonwealth’s economic forecast and stability.
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The following day, I joined the Democratic Club at the Avery Point Senior Living facility to hear directly from residents about their concerns . Top of mind for everyone are continued threats to crucial programs supporting seniors, including Social Security and Medicaid, and the Trump-Musk administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education, which impacts children and grandchildren.
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On Sunday, I traveled to Fairfax City to join supporters and friends alongside Mayor Catherine Read and Fairfax City Council Member Billy Bates to share my vision for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Our communities in Northern Virginia are disproportionately experiencing uncertainty due to Trump and his allies. As Lieutenant Governor, I will work to protect Virginians and advocate for state relief on behalf of all communities affected.
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Later that evening, I joined the Democratic Asian American of Virginia (DAAV) for its annual Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month Awards Dinner and recognition of AAPI Champions across Virginia. Virginia AAPI saw the fastest population rate increase this past decade, cementing their political strength. AAPI Virginians are the margin of victory in our elections, underscoring their importance and the need for our continued investment.
Connecting With My Office
My office can be reached at the following:
Email: [email protected] [gmail.com]
Phone: 804.698.7515
If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here [[link removed]] .
— Ghazala
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