Virginia voters may need extra schooling to read the ballot
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If Virginia's ballot questions make you feel like you need to go back to school, you're not alone.
Why it matters: Virginia's statewide ballot measures average a 25th-grade reading level, well above the national average of 17th grade, according to a new Ballotpedia analysis.
- That's nine grade levels beyond a bachelor's degree — at least theoretically.
By the numbers: Of the three constitutional amendments before Virginians:
- Question 1 — which would establish constitutional protections for reproductive freedom — comes in at a 20th-grade level.
- Question 2 — which would remove the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage — is the easiest to read: a 13th-grade level (aka, some college).
- But Question 3 — the one that would automatically restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies — clocks in at a staggering 42nd-grade reading level, per Ballotpedia. We think that's like three lifetimes of school.
😵💫 Stunning stat: At 93 words, Question 3 is also one long sentence packed with legal language about voter qualifications, incarceration and mental competency.
The fine print: Ballotpedia's scores measure sentence length and word complexity on the four statewide measures from 2026 — including the congressional redistricting amendment in April — not how much education voters actually need to understand the issues.
The other side: Researchers warn that reading-level formulas don't necessarily reflect how well voters understand a question.
The bottom line: Virginians won't need a doctorate to vote today, but brushing up with a little homework before you head to the polls couldn't hurt.