Civics Education
Local Government in Virginia


Virginia has a variety of local government structures in order to meet the needs of its diverse population. According to the 2007 U.S. Census of Governments, Virginia has a total of 511 units of local government, ranking 44th among states in number of local government units. The U.S. Census of Governments is collected every five years for years ending in 2 and 7. Of these 511 units of local government, 324 are general purpose local governments. Because school divisions are subordinate/dependent units of local governments in Virginia, the Commonwealth lacks the independent school divisions that swell the numbers of local governments elsewhere in the states.

Did You Know? School divisions are subordinate units of general-purpose local governments. Each city and county has its own school division. Only a few towns have their own school divisions, e.g., West Point and Colonial Beach.


Virginia’s local government structure has evolved over time to adapt to changing conditions. In this video Dr. Dan Thorp, associate professor in history from Virginia Tech, provides a brief historical introduction to the development of local government in Virginia.



History and Structure of Local Government

In 1634 a new system of local government was created in the Virginia colony by order of King Charles I of England. Eight shires were created by the House of Burgesses and were designated counties a few years later. These shires are the current day counties of Northampton, Charles City, York, Henrico, James City, and Isle of Wight, and the cities of Hampton and Newport News. From this initial step Virginia’s current form of local government evolved.

Patrick Henry Arguing the Parson’s Cause at Hanover County Courthouse, by George Cook c. 1834. Patrick Henry Arguing the Parson’s Cause at Hanover County Courthouse, by George Cook c. 1834
Courtesy of the Virginia Historical Society (1965.2)

Virginia’s local governments possess certain unique characteristics, including the current structure of counties, towns, and independent cities, and a very strong emphasis on the council-manager form of government. In this form the governing body hires a professional administrator to implement policy and direct the day-to-day operations of local government. The first city manager in the world, Charles Ashburner, a British-trained engineer, was hired by the Staunton, Virginia, city council on April 2, 1908. Most Virginia counties, cities (with the exception of Richmond which operates under the strong mayor form), and larger towns have adopted a variation of the council-manager plan.

Did You Know? The Constitution of Virginia (1971) is the legal foundation for local government law in Virginia. The Virginia General Assembly enacts the statutes that govern the organization of local government and defines their powers. It also enacts legislation that restricts those powers.

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