| Virginia's 23rd State House of Delegates district | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
.svg) District map from the 2023 election | |||
| Delegate |
| ||
| Demographics | 26% White 36% Black 22% Hispanic 10% Asian 0% Native American 0% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 1% Other 5% Multiracial | ||
| Population (2024) • Voting age | 89,666[1] 18 | ||
| Registered voters | 55,242[2] | ||
Virginia's 23rd House of Delegates district elects one of 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates, the lower house of the state's bicameral legislature. District 23 represents part of the city of Lynchburg and parts of Amherst and Bedford counties. The seat is currently held by Democrat Margaret Franklin following the 2026 special election.
District officeholders
| Years | Delegate | Party | Electoral history | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 8, 1992 – January 10, 1996 |
Stephen Newman | Republican | Declined to seek reelection; elected to the Senate of Virginia | |
| January 10, 1996 – January 11, 2006 |
Preston Bryant | Republican | Resigned; Appointed Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources | |
| January 11, 2006 – January 13, 2010 |
 |
Shannon Valentine | Democratic | Elected via special election; Defeated in bid for reelection |
| January 13, 2010 – January 8, 2020 |
T. Scott Garrett | Republican | First elected in 2009 | |
| January 8, 2020 – 2024 |
Wendell Walker | Republican | First elected in 2019 | |
| 2024 – 2026 |
Candi King | Democratic | ||
| January 14, 2026 – present |
Margaret Franklin | Democratic | Elected via special election in 2026 | |
Electoral history
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia House of Delegates, 23rd district | |||||
| Jan 10, 2006[3] | Special | Shannon R. Valentine | Democratic | 7,887 | 57.50 |
| Michael B. Harrington | Republican | 5,817 | 42.41 | ||
| Write Ins | 12 | 0.09 | |||
| Preston Bryant resigned; seat switched from Republican to Democratic | |||||
| Nov 6, 2007[4] | General | Shannon R. Valentine | Democratic | 4,551 | 95.60 |
| Write Ins | 209 | 4.39 | |||
| Jun 9, 2009[5] | Republican primary | T. Scott Garrett | 2,126 | 54.01 | |
| Jeff S. Helgeson | 1,810 | 45.98 | |||
| Nov 3, 2009[6] | General | T. Scott Garrett | Republican | 10,813 | 50.41 |
| Shannon R. Valentine | Democratic | 10,604 | 49.44 | ||
| Write Ins | 31 | 0.14 | |||
| Incumbent lost; seat switched from Democratic to Republican | |||||
| Nov 8, 2011[7] | General | T. Scott Garrett | Republican | 11,978 | 92.26 |
| Write Ins | 1,004 | 7.73 | |||
References
- "State House District 23, VA". Census Reporter. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- "House of Delegates District 23". VPAP.org. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- "Special Election- January 10, 2006". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on August 13, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- "November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- "2009 June Republican Primary Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- "November 2009 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- "November 2011 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.