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Independent statewide polls from 1989 and 1993-1999 asked this question to a broad sample of Virginians: 

"Would you favor abolition of the death penalty if the alternative were a life sentence with no possibility of parole for a minimum of 25 years, combined with a restitution program requiring the prisoner to work for money that would go to families of murder victims?" 

The response: The 1989 poll from Virginia Commonwealth University and the 1993-1999 polls from the Center for Survey Research at Virginia Tech show that Virginians overwhelmingly prefer this alternative over the death penalty. 
(see results below) 

In 2000 and 2001, the alternative question was changed to life in prison with no possibility of parole.  When given that alternative in 2000, 48% agreed with that alternative, while 51.6% still favored the death penalty  In 2001, 50% agreed with the alternative, while 45.9% still favored the death penalty.

                                          1999 Poll Results 

For the 7th consecutive year survey results from the Quality of Life in Virginia Poll show that Virginians prefer an alternative to the death penalty. When surveyors asked 514 respondents whether they supported the death penalty, 74 % agreed.  This is the lowest percentage that responded in favor of the death penalty in the 7 years. For the second consecutive year nearly 20% opposed the death penalty which is the highest recorded in the 7 years of polling.. 

But when respondents were asked their views if there  were the alternative of Life, with no possibility of parole for a minimum of 25 years combined with restitution to the victims’ family, 54.8% agreed with the alternative and 40.5 % disagreed. 
 
“What this survey shows us is that once again, for the 7th consecutive year, Virginians prefer an alternative to the death penalty”, said Henry Heller, director of  Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.  “If the public doesn’t really want the death penalty why are a large majority of our legislators pushing it down our throats?” 
 

      For the 6th consecutive year, Virginians support for the death penalty is cut by more than half when given the alternative of life with no possibility of parole for a minimum of 25 years combined with restitution to the victims' family.  This year's results also show a continuing downward trend in support of the death penalty overall.  75.4% supported the death penalty in this year's poll.  That is a decrease from 79.5% last from last year and 82.8% from the year before.  Consequently, opposition to the death penalty has risen through the last 3 years.  While 13.2% opposed the death penalty in 1996, and 17% opposed it last year, nearly 20% opposed it this year. 

When given the alternative, 56.3% agreed with the alternative while 37.9% disagreed.  This is consistent within a percentage point of results through the last 4 years. 

Results based on 726 completed interviews with a margin of error +- 3.8%. 
 

The Center for Survey Research at Virginia Tech has released this year's (1997) results to their annual poll. Highlights of the questions pertaining to the death penalty are: 

When asked the generic question of for or against, 79.5% supported the death penalty, 
compared to 82.8% last year. 17.1% opposed compared to 13.2% last year. While support 
for the alternative of Life, with no possibility of parole for a minimum of 25 years combined 
with restitution to the victims' families remained at 57%, support for the death penalty 
decreased from 40.3& to 38.2%. 

844 interviews were completed with a margin of error of +-3.4% at the 95% level of 
confidence. 

From This Year's Quality of Life in Virginia Poll (1997) 

Question #1) Do you support the death penalty for convicted murderers? 

Question #2) Would you favor an alternative sentence of Life, with no possibility of parole 
for 25 years, plus restitution to the victims' families? 

Question #3) Do you favor the Virginia law that does not allow any new evidence of 
innocence in a death penalty case to be presented more than 21 days after the trial? 

Virginians clearly oppose, by a 3 to 1 margin, the state law which prevents the accused from introducing new evidence of innocence 21 days after trial. 

Source: Center for Survey Research at Virginia Tech, 1997 
Based on 844 interviews - margin of error + 3.4%