Our Mission: Bringing the People's Initiative to Virginia.
Virginia belongs to Virginians. Not politicians.
Right now, our Commonwealth is one of the few states where citizens have no direct way to propose laws or check the power of the General Assembly.
Consensus 67 is a non-partisan, homegrown movement dedicated to changing that. Our goal is to amend the Virginia Constitution to allow for Citizen-Led Laws and The People’s Review. We believe that when the government fails to act—or acts against the common interest—the people must have the final word.
The Numbers.
Why 67%? Stability, not swings.
Most states that allow citizen voting only require a 50% + 1 simple majority or a 60% majority. In today’s polarized world, that often leads to "pendulum politics," where laws are passed and repealed every few years by narrow margins. The Founding Fathers feared a "tyranny of the mob", which is why the simple majority is so dangerous.
We are different. We believe in a 2/3 supermajority, which is a 67% supermajority. That overwhelming victory means an idea isn't just "Republican" or "Democratic", but it’s a popular "Virginian" idea. It ensures that only common-sense solutions with massive statewide support become part of our Constitution and force consensus-based governance.
Ballot initiative stability is handled by requiring ballot measures earn a 5% signature threshold of voters to be included on a ballot.
A ballot measure that passes can only be amended with a 7/8 supermajority, that is an 87.5% supermajority, in the General Assembly.
Virginia’s Constitutional History: Thomas Jefferson’s Vision.
In 1775, Thomas Jefferson was the first founding father to formally propose a legislative referendum for the Virginia Constitution of 1776. He believed that the people must be the "sovereign" and should ratify any change to the document they live under.
Jefferson was away at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia when the Virginia delegates met in Williamsburg. Because he wasn't there to defend the clause, the ruling class of Virginia—who were wary of losing power—quietly removed it. He later complained in his Notes on the State of Virginia that the resulting government was an "elective despotism" because the people had no direct way to check the legislature.
The Process: How to Amend the Virginia Constitution.
Stage 1: Getting to the Statehouse
Since Virginia does not have a "Citizen Initiative" yet, we must use the Legislative Referral process to create it.
The Goal: A member of the House of Delegates or the State Senate introduces a Constitutional Amendment to establish the "Consensus 67" process.
The Hurdle: It must pass both the House and the Senate with a simple majority (51 votes in the House, 21 in the Senate).
Stage 2: Passing the Vote Twice
Virginia law requires a "cooling off" period and a public check-in.
The First Vote: After the first vote passes, there must be a general election for the House of Delegates. This allows the public to vote for or against the legislators who supported the bill.
The Second Vote: Once the new General Assembly is seated, the exact same bill must be passed a second time. No changes to the text are allowed.
Stage 3: Checking Yes on the Ballot
If the legislature passes it twice, it officially goes to the voters.
The Ballot: The amendment appears on your November ballot as a simple "Yes/No" question.
The Win: If a majority of Virginia voters say "Yes," the Consensus 67 standard becomes part of the State Constitution.
Congratulations! You mastered the Constitutional Amendment process in Virginia.