Loss of Institutional Knowledge
When the General Assembly convenes in January, the number of legislators with less than five years of service will be at its highest point in the past 16 years. Retirements and election defeats of senior members will leave both bodies with fewer experienced legislators than they have had in recent years. Both the Senate and House of Delegates faced record turnover this cycle, caused by newly drawn districts that did not consider incumbents’ addresses, pairing many legislators together and forcing them to retire, move, or run against their colleagues in primaries or general elections.
State Senate
Members' Years in the General Assembly
![](https://vpap-production.s3.amazonaws.com/media/visuals/images/years_of_service_senate_nov-2023.png)
House of Delegates
Members' Years in the General Assembly
![](https://vpap-production.s3.amazonaws.com/media/visuals/images/years_of_service_house_nov-2023.png)
Note: Years of service include past non-consecutive terms. For state senators, service also includes past time served in the House of Delegates. For the House of Delegates in 2010 and 2014, VPAP only counted 99 members due to delegates winning a special election and moving to the senate, leaving a vacancy for all or part of the session.
Source: VPAP Research.
Nov. 27, 2023