RICHMOND, Va. — When Virginians go to the polls this election season -- each will be handed a ballot that will differ from others depending on where they live.
However, there are a few choices that everyone will share, including picks for president, senate, and a constitutional amendment.
Among the questions being asked of voters in this election, is whether to give spouses of servicemembers killed in the line of duty a 100% property tax exemption in Virginia.
"We had a critical gap that we're missing families that really needed it," State Senator Jeremy McPike said.
It's an issue McPike has been working on since it was brought to his attention a few years ago.
He notes that Virginia already offers the exemption to spouses of servicemembers killed in action or are deemed 100% disabled.
"We have this weird gap where if you a service member dies in the line of duty or in a training accident they're not covered," McPike said. "Whereas if they survived and became 100% disabled, they would be. So, it's kind of a not fair gap."
However, granting this exemption requires an amendment to the Virginia Constitution - a several-year-long process.
First, lawmakers must pass legislation on the topic in two separate General Assembly sessions, and there must have been an election in between.
The bill was first passed in 2023, an election happened later that year, and it was passed again in 2024.
McPike says it's been supported unanimously by lawmakers and credits the testimony given by impacted families back in 2023.
Among them was Traci Voelke, whose husband Army Major Paul Voelke was killed in an accident while en route to a combat mission.
"Killed in Afghanistan in 2012 during this fifth combat deployment. He was a Ranger. He was supporting Delta Force," Voelke said. "We are considered gold star spouses by the Department of Defense. We died on duty and we were not killed by enemy fire, therefore we don't qualify for this exemption."
Now that it's been approved by lawmakers, the ballot question before voters is the final step in the process.
McPike says around 100 families would benefit from the exemption if approved.
"Those in the military know that you never leave anybody behind."
When lawmakers return to Richmond in January, the process is expected to start on some more possible constitutional amendments including enshrining the right to abortion and term limits for the Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor.
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