I grew up in Appomattox, VA and lived/worked in Lynchburg when I got out on my own.
Here in Ohio, we had POTUS, a senator, a congressman, state representatives, county officials, 3 levies, 2 state issues, and a bunch of judges to vote on. Typical for here.
If the voters at my polling place had as many issues on the ballot as yours, we’d still be there!
I was an election official that day and ended up manning the single paper ballot machine. By days’ end that one machine had twice as many votes cast as both electronic machines combined. That is how slow the voters were at the electronic machines. It was ridiculous.
You have my complete endorsement of your initial proposal of separate ballots for the federal offices.
But, good sir, how COULD you leave VA ???