Honestly, if you looked at Virginia ten years ago, you wouldn’t recognize the political map we’re staring at today. The Commonwealth has always been a bit of a riddle—a mix of old-school Southern roots and high-speed Northern Virginia tech vibes. But after the dust settled on the 2024 Presidential race and the high-stakes 2025 Gubernatorial election, things got really interesting. Everyone wants to know the virginia election results by county because that’s where the real story lives. It's not just about who won; it's about which counties are moving, which ones are stuck, and which ones completely flipped the script.
Looking at the most recent data from the Virginia Department of Elections, the big takeaway is that the "blue wall" in the urban crescent isn't just holding—it's expanding. In 2025, Abigail Spanberger didn't just win; she basically redrew the map. She pulled off a 15-point landslide, finishing with roughly 57.6% of the vote compared to Winsome Earle-Sears’ 42.2%. That's a massive shift from the razor-thin margins we saw when Glenn Youngkin took the mansion in 2021.
The Northern Virginia Powerhouse
If you want to understand the virginia election results by county, you have to start in NoVa. This region is the engine. Fairfax County remains the absolute crown jewel for Democrats. In 2024, Kamala Harris took about 66% of the vote there. Fast forward to 2025, and Spanberger pushed that even higher to nearly 74%. That is a staggering number of raw votes—over 1.1 million people live there, and when they turn out like that, it blunts almost everything else happening downstate.
But it’s not just Fairfax. Look at Loudoun and Prince William. These used to be the ultimate "bellwether" counties. Not anymore. Loudoun went 64.5% for Spanberger in 2025. You've got to realize that as these areas grow and get more diverse, the Republican path to victory becomes a very narrow tightrope. Arlington and Alexandria are basically in a league of their own at this point, giving the Democratic ticket upwards of 80% of their totals. It’s hard to overstate how much those margins matter.
The Surprising Shifts in the Suburbs
The real "wow" factor in the recent virginia election results by county came from places like Chesterfield and Henrico. For a long time, Chesterfield was where Republicans went to bank their wins. It was the suburban conservative stronghold. But in 2025, Spanberger—who actually lives in the area—piled up a 30,000-vote lead there. She won it with about 58.9% of the vote.
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Why did this happen?
- Local Connection: Spanberger’s history as a representative for the 7th District gave her a "home turf" advantage.
- Demographic Change: The Richmond suburbs are getting younger and more professional.
- Turnout Disparity: In 2024, Republican turnout in rural areas was solid, but it couldn't keep pace with the sheer volume of suburban voters who showed up in 2025.
Henrico followed a similar path, going nearly 70% for the Democrats in the governor's race. When you lose the suburbs by those kinds of numbers, the rural-urban divide starts to look more like a canyon than a gap.
Rural Virginia and the Republican Strongholds
Now, don't get it twisted—Republicans still dominate the geography of the state. If you look at a map of virginia election results by county colored by land area, it’s a sea of red. In the 2024 Presidential race, Donald Trump won 46.3% of the state by running up massive totals in the Southwest and Southside.
Take Tazewell County. They went 84% for Trump in 2024 and stayed at 82% for Earle-Sears in 2025. Same for Wise County and Washington County. These are places where the GOP message on energy and traditional values resonates deeply. The problem for the GOP isn't the percentage—it's the math. Wise County has about 35,000 people. Fairfax has over a million. You can win 80% of a small county, but if your opponent wins 70% of a massive one, the "raw vote" hole is just too deep to climb out of.
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The Independent Cities Factor
Virginia is unique because of its independent cities. They aren't part of the surrounding counties, and they often vote like blue islands.
- Richmond City: Regularly hits 80-85% for Democrats.
- Norfolk and Portsmouth: These Hampton Roads hubs are essential for the Democratic "urban crescent" strategy.
- Lynchburg: This one is a bit of a maverick. It went for Trump in 2024 (53%) but was a total toss-up in 2025, with Earle-Sears only narrowly holding it by about 1 point.
Lynchburg is actually a great example of the nuance in virginia election results by county. It shows that even in traditionally conservative cities, the college-educated vote (thanks to Liberty University and Lynchburg University) is starting to create some friction.
Understanding the 2025 House of Delegates Flip
While the Governor's race got the headlines, the House of Delegates results were arguably more significant for the long term. Democrats didn't just keep the majority; they expanded it to 64 seats. This happened because they won "flipped" districts in areas that used to be comfortably Republican.
For example, District 22 (Prince William area) saw Elizabeth Guzmán win back a seat that had been held by a Republican. Down in District 41 (the Montgomery/Roanoke area), Lily Franklin managed a win in a territory that has been trending purple but leaning right. These wins show that the "Spanberger effect" had long coattails, pulling local candidates across the finish line in counties where the margins were once razor-thin.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Map
A lot of folks look at the virginia election results by county and think the state is "gone" for one party or the other. That’s a mistake. Honestly, Virginia is still very reactive. In 2021, Youngkin proved that a Republican can win if they sweep the rural areas AND keep the suburban losses to a minimum.
The 2025 results happened because the GOP lost the "middle." Counties like Stafford and Virginia Beach, which can go either way, swung hard toward Spanberger. Virginia Beach City, for instance, went 55.6% for Spanberger in 2025 after being a dead heat in previous cycles. That’s the "tipping point" territory. If a candidate can't hold Virginia Beach, they aren't winning statewide.
Actionable Insights for Following Future Results
If you're tracking the next cycle, keep these three things in your pocket:
- Watch the "Raw Vote" Margin in NoVa: If the Democratic lead in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William exceeds 200,000 votes combined, the Republican candidate almost certainly loses, regardless of how well they do in the mountains.
- Monitor the Richmond Suburbs: Chesterfield is the new "Hamilton County" of Virginia. It tells you exactly where the middle-class suburbanites are leaning.
- Check Turnout in the "Black Belt" and Cities: Cities like Petersburg and Norfolk have seen fluctuating turnout. When it’s high, Democrats cruise. When it dips, like in 2021, Republicans have a fighting chance.
For the most detailed breakdown of current certifications, you should always check the Virginia Department of Elections official portal. They provide the precinct-level data that explains why a county went the way it did—whether it was early mail-in ballots or a late surge on election day.
The story of the virginia election results by county is ultimately a story of two Virginias finding a way to coexist. One is urban, tech-heavy, and rapidly growing; the other is rural, traditional, and struggling with population loss. For now, the growth in the cities is winning the math game.
To dig deeper into these trends, your next step should be to look at the precinct-level data for your specific locality. Comparing how your neighborhood voted in 2024 versus 2025 is the best way to see these massive demographic shifts happening in real-time right outside your front door.