Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter shares information on Primary Election Day, discusses legislation going into effect on July 1, and highlights select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed. |
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Tomorrow is Primary Election Day
Tomorrow, June 17, is Primary Election Day. A comprehensive list of all Virginia primaries is available through the Virginia Department of Elections. All 133 Virginia counties and cities are holding Democratic primary elections because of the nomination contests for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General (no Republican nomination contests for these races are being held because the Virginia GOP has selected its candidates). Primaries are also being held for those Delegate districts in which either Democratic or Republican House of Delegate races are being contested.
Voting on Election Day For those voters who did not cast early or mail-in ballots, Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, June 17:
Absentee Voting Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, June 17, and received by June 20 at 12:00pm.
Individuals who requested an absentee ballot but now prefer to vote in-person must bring the absentee ballot to the polling location to be voided. More information on absentee ballots and voting is available at the Virginia Department of Elections. My Campaign
Since last March, I have had the opportunity to travel all across Virginia to meet with voters, hear concerns, and respond to the evolving situations in the Commonwealth, given the chaos of Washington.
If tomorrow’s competitive primary elections lead to a successful end for my campaign, I will be pushing forward to November’s General Elections and will be honored to join the Democratic ticket alongside our nominee, Abigail Spanberger.
As Lieutenant Governor, I will be part of that blue brick wall that we have been building steadily since I helped to flip the state Senate in 2020. I will stand on the front lines to protect Virginia from extremism, and I will lead the charge to build something better: -
Delivering bold investments in public education so every child in every zip code has a future worth fighting for.
- Passing real climate solutions so our children inherit a livable planet, not the consequences of cowardice.
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Protecting healthcare access for our most vulnerable, especially for our seniors and individuals with disabilities
- Expanding access to affordable housing by pushing for innovative solutions to the barriers that we currently face
More details and information about my campaign are located at https://ghazalaforvirginia.com/ |
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Laws Taking Effect July 1
The Virginia Division of Legislative Services (DLS) publication, In Due Course, highlights select legislation passed by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly that is likely to affect the daily lives of the citizens of Virginia. The following are a few items of legislation that have been signed by the Governor and that will go into effect on Tuesday, July 1.
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SB 754: The law provides that obtaining, disclosing, selling, or disseminating personally identifiable reproductive or sexual health information without the consent of the consumer is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.
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SB 939/HB 1715: The law creates the offense of mail theft, punishable as a Class 6 felony, and gives local prosecutors the ability to bring charges in addition to existing federal penalties.
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SB 1356/HB 2218: The law prohibits a landlord subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act from charging a tenant any fee for the collection or processing of any payment of rent, security deposit, or any other fees, unless the landlord offers an alternative method of payment that does not include additional fees.
- HB 2475: The law requires all adult passengers in a motor vehicle equipped with a safety belt system to wear them when the motor vehicle is in motion on a public highway. Current law requires adult passengers to wear such safety belts when occupying the front seat.
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Select Community Engagements |
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On Monday, I joined the Hampton Roads Young Democrats and Virginia Young Democrats Valley Regional Caucus to discuss my work on issues of particular importance to young people across our Commonwealth. Our young people have stepped up to lead in urgent matters such as housing affordability, broadband access, immigrant rights, public education, and workers' rights. I stand ready to preside over the State Senate on these critical issues on Day One. |
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On Tuesday, I joined the Staunton Democrats to hear their priorities ahead of the Tuesday primary elections. As we see continued attacks on vulnerable communities and federal workers, the degradation of democratic norms, and failed policies from our current Governor, Virginians are ready to elect a ticket ready to fight for everyone, not just a few. |
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Shortly after, I joined the National Pan-Hellenic Council Metro Richmond’s (NPHC) candidate forum. I shared my legislative record of working to address economic disparities, gun violence and uplifting every community, as well as my continued commitment to these efforts as Lieutenant Governor. |
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On Thursday, I joined the Chesterfield County Democratic Committee for a final celebration before Get Out the Vote. Chesterfield County residents are ready to pave a new way forward in this year's statewide elections, beginning with Tuesday’s primary elections. |
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Shortly after the CCDC gathering, I joined community leaders whose roots are in African nations across the Commonwealth for a meet-and-greet to share my vision for our diverse communities. As Lieutenant Governor, I will continue my outreach efforts and support for new Americans whose contributions to our Commonwealth extend through small businesses, workforce, and every sector of our economy.
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On Thursday, I traveled to Arlington to participate in the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) 2025 Women’s Collective Summit The Power of Storytelling for Advocacy panel. Our stories have the power to change minds, inspire action, and foster communities that more accurately reflect our values. As Lieutenant Governor, I will continue to uplift AAPI women across our Commonwealth. |
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The day concluded as I joined REPRO Rising Virginia’s 14th Annual Gala, a gathering at which we celebrated the first of two votes to advance the constitutional amendment for reproductive freedom in Virginia, for which I was a Chief Co-patron. The Gala also highlighted the importance of this November’s election in protecting our reproductive rights and freedoms. I will continue to be a strong champion for access to all forms of reproductive health care for Virginians. |
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On Friday evening, my campaign was welcomed by wonderful hosts from the Arlington area for a special meet-and-greet. I enjoyed speaking with new friends and sharing my vision for the office of Lieutenant Governor at a time when states are playing an increasingly critical role in protecting our rights. |
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Photo credit: Scott Elmquist for Style Weekly
On Saturday, I was part of a united front of Americans all across the country as we came together to protest President Trump’s increasing attacks on our Constitution and its guardrails at the "No Kings" Rallies in both Manassas and Richmond. The nation’s massive rallies sent a loud message that no one is above the law, that criminal violations against our Constitution cannot stand, and that Congress must hold Trump accountable for the abuse of power that we witness every day. |
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Connecting With My Office My office can be reached at the following:
Email: [email protected] Phone: 804.698.7515 If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here. — Ghazala |
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Email us: [email protected]
This email was sent to [email protected]. Email is the most important way we keep in touch with people like you, so thank you for reading to the end. Friends of Ghazala Hashmi
PO Box 72923
Richmond, VA 23235
United States GhazalaHashmi.com
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