Since her inauguration in January 2022, Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has held the constitutional duty to break ties in the narrowly divided Virginia Senate, where Democrats control the chamber by a slim margin. Tie-breaking votes during her tenure have uniformly aligned with the Republican caucus’s positions, including instances where Senate Democrats engineered tie votes to force her to go on record against popular policies. Overall, her interventions in tie votes have consistently bolstered conservative priorities on social policy and legislative governance. Here is a selection of some bills on which Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears has cast tie-breaking votes.
2022 Session
Voted against SB 137 (McPike) – Would have allowed defendants to appeal a judge’s discretionary sentence if there was no written explanation that adequately explained the sentence imposed.
2023 Session
Voted against SB 1379 (Deeds) – Would have waived sovereign immunity from jail medical professionals, allowing them to be held accountable for wrongful death or injury of prisoners in their care.
Voted for SB 1459 (McDougle) – Prohibited the use of TikTok on any state-owned devices, or devices connected to state internet services.
Voted against amendment to SJ 276 (Spruill), which would have removed a Glenn Youngkin appointee from the roster of UVA Board of Visitors appointees.
2024 Session
Voted against SB 643 (Aird) – Would have changed “failure to appear” from a criminal offense to a civil violation, lessening the consequences for defendants who, for whatever reason, miss a required court appearance.
Voted against SB 712 (Marsden) – Would have made it illegal to release hunting dogs within 15 feet of a highway or right-of-way owned or maintained by the Department of Transportation.
2025 Session
Voted against SB 1105 (Hashmi) – Would have established a legal right to access and utilize contraception.