Virginia

Land Acknowledgement

Virginia is home to the Chickahominy Tribe, the Monacan Nation, the Nansemond Nation, the Pamunkey Tribe, the Rappahannock Tribe, and the Upper Mattaponi Tribe. It is also the traditional homeland of many other tribes.

Overview

You can register to vote online, in person, or by mail. The deadline to register to vote in person is Election Day. The deadline to register to vote by mail or online is October 17. You can also register to vote on Election Day. You can also register to vote at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office.

Key Dates

September 23 to November 5 - Early voting

October 17 - Voter registration deadline by mail or online

October 28 - Deadline to request an absentee ballot by 5PM

November 8 - Election Day

November 8 - In person voter registration deadline

Contacts

Voter Registration offices

Virginia Department of Elections: (800) 552-9745 or info@elections.virginia.gov

Virginia Voting Guide

Note: The information below is not legal advice on how to vote. Because voting information is changing rapidly during this election, make sure you check the links provided and check with your state about deadlines and voting specifics.

Registering to Vote

  • The deadline to register to vote by mail or online is October 17. The deadline to register to vote in person is Election Day.

  • No.

  • You will need to provide a Virginia driver's license or State ID and a Social Security Number to use the online voter registration system. If you do not have a Virginia issued ID, you can still register to vote by mail. You must also provide a residential address and a mailing address if it is different from your residential address. If you live in a rural area or are homeless, you can describe your residence.

  • You must provide a residential address and a mailing address if it is different from your residential address. If you live in a rural area or are homeless, you can describe your residence.

  • You can contact your local Voter Registration office, which can be found here or contact the Virginia Department of Elections at (800) 552-9745 or info@elections.virginia.gov to check if your address is valid.

  • You can visit a Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles office here.

  • Yes. You can register to vote online here.

  • No.

  • Yes. You can register to vote in person at your local Voter Registration office.

  • Yes. You can complete your voter registration application here. You can return it by mail to either your local Voter Registration office, which you can find here or the Virgnia Department of Elections address at Virginia Department of Elections:

    1100 Bank Street
    Richmond, VA 23219

  • You can register to vote only if you have had your rights restored. If you are convicted of a felony, you do not have the right to vote in Virginia. Your right can only be restored by the Governor of Virginia. You can find out more information, check the current status of your civil rights, and apply to have your rights restored through the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website or call at (804) 692-0104. Once your rights have been restored, you must register to vote before you can qualify to receive a ballot at the next election.

  • You can contact your local Voter Registration office, which can be found here, or you can contact the Virginia Department of Elections at (800) 552-9745 or info@elections.virginia.gov

  • The deadline to register to vote by mail or online is October 17. The deadline to register to vote in person is Election Day.

  • Yes, under federal law you can assist someone in registering to vote if they do not speak English well, if they have trouble reading or writing, or if they have a disability.

Checking & Updating Voter Registration

Voting by Mail/Absentee/Ballot Drop-Off

  • The deadline to request an absentee ballot is October 28 by 5PM. You do not need a reason to request an absentee ballot. You can vote early using an absentee ballot. You can either mail in your ballot or deliver it in person.

  • Yes. Please check that you have filled out all required fields and signed your ballot. USPS recommends you mail in your ballot a week before the deadline to ensure your ballot is received on time. However, please factor in your personal experience with mail delivery times to and from your place of residence or where you drop off your ballot.

  • You can request an absentee ballot here.

  • No.

  • Yes.

  • The deadline to request an absentee ballot is October 28 by 5PM.

  • Your local Registrar will send absentee ballots beginning September 23. If you request an absentee ballot after September 23, your local Registrar will process your application within three days. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is October 28 by 5PM.

  • You can have your absentee ballot sent to a mailing address, even if that address is different than your physical address.

  • Yes.

  • Your ballot should be postmarked on or before Election Day AND it must be received by your local General Registrar no later than 12PM November 11, the third day following Election Day. If your ballot is postmarked by the deadline, it does not count if the ballot is still received after the deadline.

  • Yes. You can return your absentee ballot in person by Election Day by 7PM.

  • Your ballot may be returned by someone else if you need to complete an emergency absentee ballot. You can request an emergency absentee ballot if you are unable to apply for an absentee ballot by the deadline because of hospitalization or illness, or the hospitalization, illness, or death of a spouse, child or parent, or other emergency found to justify receipt of an emergency absentee ballot. A designated representative can return your ballot. They must be someone 18 years or older and shall not be an elected official, a candidate for elected office, or the deputy, spouse, parent, or child of an elected official or candidate.

  • No.

  • Yes. A witness signature is required on all mail-in ballots. If a ballot is missing a witness signature, you will be contacted within three days of receipt by the local Voter Registration office and asked to correct it. The ballot must be corrected by noon on Monday, November 14 in order to be counted.

  • The electoral board of each county and city can reject your absentee ballot. They must provide a written explanation of the reason for rejecting the ballot within 90 days of the date on which the ballot is rejected.

  • You can track your ballot here.

  • You can contact your local Voter Registration office here or contact the Virginia Department of Elections at (800) 552-9745 or info@elections.virginia.gov

Voting In-Person

  • You can locate your polling place here.

  • No.

  • Yes. You can vote using an absentee ballot by mail or in person. Early voting runs from September 23 through November 5 with no reason required.

  • Yes. You will be asked to show one form of ID when you cast a ballot in person. Acceptable IDs include: Virginia's driver's license; Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles ID card; valid employee ID card containing a photograph issued by your employer in ordinary course of business (public or private employer); U.S. military ID; valid student ID issued by a public or private school of higher education located in Virginia; valid student ID containing a photograph issued by a public or private school of higher education located in the U.S.; valid student ID issued by a public or private hgh school in Virginia; valid U.S. passport or passport card; government-issued ID card from a federal, Virginia, or local political subdivision; voter ID card issued by the Department of Elections, voter confirmation documents; valid tribal enrollment or other tribal ID (if issued by one of the 11 tribes recognized by Virginia); nursing home resident ID (if issued by a government facility); current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck containing your name and address (the document cannot be more than 12 months old); any other current government document containing your name and address; or a signed ID Confirmation Statement. If you do not present an acceptable ID, you may sign a statement that you are the named registered voter who you claim to be. If you do not present acceptable ID or sign the statement, you must vote using a provisional ballot.

  • You can get a Virginia ID at the Department of Motor Vehicles. You can also reach out to your tribal official responsible for providing or processing tribal IDs and see if you can secure a tribal ID before Election Day.

  • Yes. A provisional ballot is used to record the vote of an individual whose eligibility to vote cannot be confirmed at the polling location on Election Day by election officials or the General Registrar. If the Officers of Election and General Registrar cannot find your name in the poll book or there is some other question regarding your eligibility to vote, such as you received an absentee ballot. Additionally, if you go to your polling place and do not have proper ID, you will have to vote using a provisional ballot. Follow the instructions given to you by the Officers of Election. You will need to submit a copy of your valid ID by November 11 by noon so your vote will be counted.

  • Yes. Under federal law (Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act), you are entitled to bring anyone you trust, such as a friend, family member, or neighbor, to the polling place AND into the polling booth to assist with voting. However, that person may not be your employer, running in the election, or a representative of your labor union. The person giving assistance also may not tell the voter how to vote.

  • You can contact your local voter registration office, which can be found here or contact the Virginia Department of Elections at (800) 552-9745 or info@elections.virginia.gov