# Virginia's 5th Senate district

Virginia's 5th Senate district is one of 40 districts in the Senate of Virginia. It has been represented by Democrat Lionell Spruill since his victory in a 2016 special election to succeed fellow Democrat Kenny Alexander, who was elected mayor of Norfolk.

## Geography

District 5 is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area in southeastern Virginia, including parts of Norfolk and Chesapeake.
The district overlaps with Virginia's 3rd and 4th congressional districts, and with the 77th, 78th, 79th, 81st, 89th, and 90th districts of the Virginia House of Delegates.

## Recent election results
### 2019

2019 Virginia Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Lionell Spruill (incumbent) | 31,576 | 79.2 |
| | Independent | Jeff Staples | 7,812 | 19.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 39,845 | 100 |

### 2016 special

2016 Virginia Senate special election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Lionell Spruill | 66,989 | 96.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 69,616 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2015

2015 Virginia Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Kenny Alexander (incumbent) | 13,955 | 95.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 14,623 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2012 special

2012 Virginia Senate special election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Kenny Alexander | 3,643 | 98.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,701 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2011

2011 Virginia Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Yvonne Miller (incumbent) | 11,090 | 95.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,606 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### Federal and statewide results

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2020 | President | Biden 73.1–25.1% |
| 2017 | Governor | Northam 75.7–23.2% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 70.6–25.5% |
| 2014 | Senate | Warner 72.1–26.0% |
| 2013 | Governor | McAuliffe 72.6–23.4% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 74.8–24.3% |
| 2012 | Senate | Kaine 74.9–25.1% |

## Historical results

All election results below took place prior to 2011 redistricting, and thus were under different district lines.

### 2007

2007 Virginia Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Yvonne Miller (incumbent) | 10,977 | 96.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,327 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2003

2003 Virginia Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Yvonne Miller (incumbent) | 12,622 | 97.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 12,899 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1999

1999 Virginia Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Yvonne Miller (incumbent) | 17,464 | 97.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 17,901 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1995

1995 Virginia Senate election, District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Yvonne Miller (incumbent) | 18,658 | 76.7 |
| | Republican | Bruce Wilcox | 5,673 | 23.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 24,336 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## District officeholders since 1940

| Years | Senator, District 5 | Counties/Cities in District |
| 1940–1941 | Edward Everett Holland (D) | Isle of Wight County, Nansemond County, Southampton County, and the City of Suffolk |
| 1941–1944 | A. E. S. Stephens (D) | Isle of Wight County, Nansemond County, Southampton County, and the City of Suffolk |
| 1944–1948 | A. E. S. Stephens (D) | Isle of Wight County, Nansemond County, Southampton County, and the City of Suffolk |
| 1948–1952 | A. E. S. Stephens (D) | Isle of Wight County, Nansemond County, Southampton County, and the City of Suffolk |
| 1952–1956 | Mills Godwin (D) | Isle of Wight County, Nansemond County, Southampton County, and the City of Suffolk |
| 1956–1960 | Mills Godwin (D) | Isle of Wight County, Nansemond County, Southampton County, and the City of Suffolk |
| 1960–1961 | Mills Godwin (D) | Isle of Wight County, Nansemond County, Southampton County, and the City of Suffolk |
| 1961–1964 | William V. Rawlings (D) | Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Nansemond County, Southampton County, the City of Franklin and the City of Suffolk |
| 1964–1968 | William V. Rawlings (D) | Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Nansemond County, Southampton County, the City of Franklin and the City of Suffolk |
| 1968–1972 | William V. Rawlings (D) | Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Nansemond County, Southampton County, the City of Franklin and the City of Suffolk |
| 1972–1976 | Stanley C. Walker (D) Peter K. Babalas (D) Thomas R. McNamara (D) | City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 1976–1980 | Stanley C. Walker (D) Peter K. Babalas (D) Joseph T. Fitzpatrick (D) | City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 1980–1982 | Stanley C. Walker (D) Peter K. Babalas (D) Joseph T. Fitzpatrick (D) | City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 1982–1984 | Stanley C. Walker (D) Peter K. Babalas (D) Evelyn Momsen Hailey (D) | City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 1984–1988 | Peter K. Babalas (D) | City of Norfolk (part) |
| 1988–1992 | Yvonne Miller (D) | City of Norfolk (part) |
| 1992–1996 | Yvonne Miller (D) | City of Chesapeake (part), City of Norfolk (part) |
| 1996–2000 | Yvonne Miller (D) | City of Chesapeake (part), City of Norfolk (part) |
| 2000–2004 | Yvonne Miller (D) | City of Chesapeake (part), City of Norfolk (part) |
| 2004–2008 | Yvonne Miller (D) | City of Chesapeake (part), City of Norfolk (part) |
| 2008–2012 | Yvonne Miller (D) | City of Chesapeake (part), City of Norfolk (part) |
| 2012–2016 | Kenny Alexander (D) | City of Chesapeake (part), City of Norfolk (part) |
| 2016–present | Lionell Spruill (D) | City of Chesapeake (part), City of Norfolk (part) |