The 2021 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the lieutenant governor of Virginia. Republican former state delegate Winsome Earle-Sears defeated Democratic state delegate Hala Ayala. Earle-Sears succeeded Democratic incumbent Justin Fairfax who ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.Regardless of who won the election, it would have been the first time in Virginia history that a female became Lieutenant Governor.

Ayala won the Democratic primary held on June 8, 2021, with 38% of the vote. Earle-Sears won the Republican nomination through a convention held on May 8. Either candidate would have become the first female lieutenant governor of Virginia.

Sears won as part of the Republican Party's sweep of all three of Virginia's statewide offices in the 2021 election cycle. With her victory, Earle-Sears became the first female lieutenant governor of Virginia and the first woman of color to win a statewide election in Virginia.

On November 3, Hala Ayala conceded the race.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Hala Ayala, state delegate

Eliminated in primary Mark Levine, state delegate and candidate for Virginia's 8th congressional district in 2014 Andria McClellan, Norfolk city councilwoman Sean Perryman, president of the Fairfax County NAACP Sam Rasoul, state delegate and nominee for Virginia's 6th congressional district in 2008 Xavier Warren, sports agent

Withdrawn Paul Goldman, former chair of the Virginia Democratic Party Elizabeth Guzmán, state delegate (ran for re-election) Kellen Squire, nurse

Declined Justin Fairfax, incumbent lieutenant governor (ran for governor)

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Hala Ayala Elizabeth Guzman Mark Levine Andria McClellan Sean Perryman Sam Rasoul Xavier Warren Other UndecidedRoanoke CollegeRoanoke CollegeMay 24 – June 1, 2021637 (LV)± 3.9%16%3%7%7%3%11%2%–45%Christopher Newport UniversityChristopher Newport UniversityApril 11–20, 2021806 (LV)± 3.9%2%4%2%2%1%12%2%1%64%

Results

Republican convention After months of uncertainty, the Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee decided to hold an "unassembled convention" to select their nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, as opposed to holding a state run primary. The convention was held on May 8 using ranked choice voting.

Candidates Nominated at convention Winsome Earle-Sears, former state delegate (2002–2004), nominee for Virginia's 3rd congressional district in 2004 and write-in candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2018

Defeated at convention Puneet Ahluwalia, business consultant Lance Allen, security company executive Glenn Davis, state delegate and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2017 Tim Hugo, former state delegate (2003–2020) Maeve Rigler, business executive

Endorsements

Results

Virginia GOP Convention, lieutenant governor nominee Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %

4,075.68 32.5% 4,300.11 34.3% 4,626.70 36.9% 5,425.91 43.2% 6,827.89 54.4%

2,824.17 22.5% 2,987.20 23.8% 3,184.76 25.4% 3,816.11 30.4% 5,726.11 45.6%

2,536.77 20.2% 2,675.44 21.3% 2,838.05 22.6% 3,311.97 26.4% colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"

1,538.80 12.3% 1701.82 13.6% 1,904.50 15.2% colspan=4 style="text-align:center;"

818.95 6.5% 889.43 7.1% colspan=6 style="text-align:center;"

759.62 6.1% colspan=8 style="text-align:center;"

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Elections Daily November 1, 2021

Endorsements

Polling

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error HalaAyala (D) WinsomeEarle-Sears (R) Other UndecidedThe Trafalgar Group (R)The Trafalgar Group (R)October 29–31, 20211,081 (LV)± 3.0%47%50%1%2%Echelon Insights (R)Echelon Insights (R) October 27–29, 2021611 (LV)± 4.0%46%48%–6%Roanoke CollegeOctober 14–28, 2021571 (LV)± 4.7%46%44%0%10%The Washington Post/Schar SchoolOctober 20–26, 20211,107 (RV)± 3.5%48%44%3%3%918 (LV)± 4.0%50%46%1%3%Christopher Newport UniversityChristopher Newport UniversityOctober 17–25, 2021944 (LV)± 3.5%49%48%–3%Suffolk UniversitySuffolk UniversityOctober 21–24, 2021500 (LV)± 4.4%46%44%–10%co/efficient (R)co/efficient (R)October 20–21, 2021785 (LV)± 3.5%46%47%–7%Cygnal (R)Cygnal (R)October 19–21, 2021816 (LV)± 3.4%47%47%–6%Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityOctober 9–21, 2021722 (LV)± 6.4%36%35%16%13%Data for Progress (D)Data for Progress (D)October 4–15, 20211,589 (LV)± 2.0%47%42%3%8%Christopher Newport UniversityChristopher Newport UniversitySeptember 27 – October 6, 2021802 (LV)± 4.2%48%44%–8%Roanoke CollegeRoanoke CollegeSeptember 12–26, 2021603 (LV)± 4.6%45%40%1%14%KAConsulting LLC (R)KAConsulting LLC (R)September 17–19, 2021700 (LV)± 3.7%34%24%3%40%Virginia Commonwealth UniversitySeptember 7–15, 2021731 (LV)± 6.9%33%30%20%16%University of Mary WashingtonUniversity of Mary WashingtonSeptember 7–13, 20211,000 (A)± 3.1%38%38%6%18%528 (LV)± 4.1%41%47%2%10%Monmouth UniversityMonmouth UniversityAugust 24–29, 2021802 (RV)± 3.5%43%42%2%14%Christopher Newport UniversityChristopher Newport UniversityAugust 15–23, 2021800 (LV)± 3.6%52%42%1%6%Roanoke CollegeRoanoke CollegeAugust 3–17, 2021558 (LV)± 4.2%42%36%2%20%Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityAugust 4–15, 2021770 (RV)± 5.4%38%31%19%12%~747 (LV)± 5.5%39%31%17%12%JMC Analytics and Polling (R)JMC Analytics and Polling (R)June 9–12, 2021550 (LV)± 4.2%42%36%–22%

Results Hopewell was the lone county or city that voted for different parties for governor and lieutenant governor, as it voted for Republican Glenn Youngkin for the former and Democrat Hala Ayala for the latter.

By county and independent city