1987 Virginia Senate election
All 40 seats in the Senate of Virginia were up for election on November 3, 1987, alongside the Virginia House of Delegates election.
Overall results
Results by district
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
| 1 | Hunter Andrews | Democratic | 1963 | Re-elected | Hunter Andrews 66.32% Eleanor L. Rice 33.68% |
| 2 | Robert C. Scott | Democratic | 1982 | Re-elected | Robert C. Scott 57.34 Teddy R. Marks 42.65% |
| 3 | William E. Fears | Democratic | 1967 | Re-elected | William E. Fears unopposed |
| 4 | Elmo G. Cross Jr. | Democratic | 1975 | Re-elected | Elmo G. Cross Jr. unopposed |
| 5 | Peter K. Babalas | Democratic | 1967 | Retired Democratic hold | Yvonne B. Miller 52.09% Julian F. Hirst 33.45% R. Wayne Nunnally 14.45% |
| 6 | Stanley C. Walker | Democratic | 1971 | Re-elected | Stanley C. Walker unopposed |
| 7 | Clarence A. Holland | Democratic | 1983 | Re-elected | Clarence A. Holland 77.23% Rae H. Le Sesne 22.69% |
| 8 | A. Joe Canada Jr. | Republican | 1971 | Lost re-election Democratic gain | Moody E. Stallings Jr. 48.41% A. Joe Canada Jr. 46.85% Louis Miles Pace 4.69% |
| 9 | Benjamin Lambert | Democratic | 1985 | Re-elected | Benjamin Lambert unopposed |
| 10 | Joseph B. Benedetti | Republican | 1986 | Re-elected | Joseph B. Benedetti 84.39 Roger L. Coffey 15.56% |
| 11 | Robert E. Russell Sr. | Republican | 1983 | Re-elected | Robert E. Russell Sr. 55.08% Joan C. Girone 44.82% |
| 12 | William F. Parkerson Jr. | Democratic | 1963 | Loss re-election Republican gain | Edwina P. Dalton 50.91% William F. Parkerson Jr. 49.06% |
| 13 | Johnny Joannou | Democratic | 1983 | Re-elected | Johnny Joannou unopposed |
| 14 | William T. Parker | Democratic | 1979 | Loss re-election Republican gain | Mark Earley 51.39% William T. Parker 48.60% |
| 15 | Richard J. Holland | Democratic | 1979 | Re-elected | Richard J. Holland unopposed |
| 16 | Elmon T. Gray | Democratic | 1971 | Re-elected | Elmon T. Gray unopposed |
| 17 | Edd Houck | Democratic | 1983 | Re-elected | Edd Houck 54.43% William J. Vakos Jr. 45.52% |
| 18 | Howard P. Anderson | Democratic | 1971 | Re-elected | Howard P. Anderson unopposed |
| 19 | William Onico Barker | Republican | 1979 | Re-elected | William Onico Barker 70.68% Elosie F. Nenon 29.31% |
| 20 | Virgil Goode | Democratic | 1973 | Re-elected | Virgil Goode unopposed |
| 21 | J. Granger Macfarlane | Democratic | 1983 | Re-elected | J. Granger Macfarlane 63.34% William H. Flanagan 36.65% |
| 22 | Dudley J. Emick | Democratic | 1975 | Re-elected | Dudley J. Emick 64.86% Lee B. Eddy 35.13% |
| 23 | Elliot S. Schewel | Democratic | 1975 | Re-elected | Elliot S. Schewel 77.28% Jeffery D. Somers 22.71% |
| 24 | Frank W. Nolen | Democratic | 1974 | Re-elected | Frank W. Nolen 66.90% Bertram C. Hopeman 33.09% |
| 25 | Thomas J. Michie Jr. | Democratic | 1980 | Re-elected | Thomas J. Michie Jr. unopposed |
| 26 | Kevin G. Miller | Republican | 1983 | Re-elected | Kevin G. Miller 58.69% William C. Chase Jr. 41.30% |
| 27 | William A. Truban | Republican | 1971 | Re-elected | William A. Truban unopposed |
| 28 | John Chichester | Republican | 1978 | Re-elected | John Chichester 68.33% Ann Riley Smith 31.66% |
| 29 | Charles Colgan | Democratic | 1975 | Re-elected | Charles Colgan unopposed |
| 30 | Wiley F. Mitchell | Republican | 1975 | Re-elected | Wiley F. Mitchell unopposed |
| 31 | Edward M. Holland | Democratic | 1971 | Re-elected | Edward M. Holland 59.69% Joseph V. Vasapoli 40.30% |
| 32 | Clive L. DuVal | Democratic | 1971 | Re-elected | Clive L. DuVal 53.68% Bobbie Kilberg 46.30% |
| 33 | Charles L. Waddell | Democratic | 1971 | Re-elected | Charles L. Waddell unopposed |
| 34 | John W. Russell | Republican | 1983 | Loss re-election Democratic gain | Emilie F. Miller 50.25% John W. Russell 49.75% |
| 35 | Richard L. Saslaw | Democratic | 1979 | Re-elected | Richard L. Saslaw unopposed |
| 36 | Joseph V. Gartlan Jr. | Democratic | 1971 | Re-elected | Joseph V. Gartlan Jr. 58.28% Ronald C. Smith 41.71% |
| 37 | Madison E. Marye | Democratic | 1973 | Re-elected | Madison E. Marye unopposed |
| 38 | Daniel W. Bird Jr. | Democratic | 1975 | Re-elected | Daniel W. Bird Jr. 76.14% Benjamin S. Barringer 23.85% |
| 39 | James P. Jones | Democratic | 1983 | Retired Republican gain | William C. Wampler Jr. 50.04% John S. Bundy 49.96% |
| 40 | John Chalkley Buchanan | Democratic | 1971 | Re-elected | John Chalkley Buchanan unopposed |
| 40 | - | - | - | - | - |