VOTER REGISTRATION

Registration Deadline: The registration deadline to vote in the primary and general election or update your address is 22 days before the election. If there is a special election, the registration deadline is 14 days before the election and if the Governor calls a special election, the deadline is 7 days.

VOTER REGISTRATION QUALIFICATIONS

Age: Must be 18 years old (Any person who is 17 years old and will be 18 years of age at the next general election shall be permitted to register in advance and also vote in any intervening primary or special election)

Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen

Residency: Must be a resident of Virginia. A person who has come to Virginia for temporary purposes and intends to return to another state is not considered a resident for voting purposes

Mental Competency: Not currently declared mentally incompetent by a court of law

Felony Convictions: If convicted of a felony, your right to vote is restored upon release from incarceration. For more information, click here

OBTAINING A VOTER REGISTRATION FORM

Online: Virginia voter registration

In person: Registration can be completed at any of the following places:

-Local voter registration office

-State or local government offices when applying or re-certifying for Aid to Dependent Children, Food Stamps, WIC, Medicaid, or Rehabilitation Services

-Government offices in the State that provide State-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to person with disabilities

-Armed forces recruitment offices

-Public libraries

-Virginia Department of Elections office

-Department of Motor Vehicles offices

-Voter Registration Drives 

By mail/ in writing: The completed application can be filed with your local election office or mailed to the address printed on the form. Mailed applications must be postmarked at least 22 days before the next election in which you plan to vote.

VERIFYING YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS

Once you have submitted your registration form, you should receive an information card or other correspondence confirming your registration status. Please note that an information card or other correspondence confirming your voter registration status does not qualify as photo identification.

Online: Virginia voter registration verification

Phone: Contact your local registrar's office to make sure that your application has been processed

ABSENTEE VOTING

All voters may choose to vote absentee by mail. Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions included to complete and return the ballot. For more information, click here.

OBTAINING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

Online: Online absentee ballot application

In person: Contact your local election office for more information.

By Mail/Fax/Email: Download an absentee application or contact your local Voter Registration Office to request an absentee ballot application and return the application to your local Voter Registrar. The signed and completed application must be received by the general registrar located in the city or county that you are registered to vote for by 5pm on the Tuesday prior to the election.

SUBMITTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

Location and time: Within 45 days prior to the election in which you wish to vote, visit your local registrar’s office to vote absentee in-person. All mailed absentee ballots must be received by your local registrar by 7pm on election day.

MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTING: 

A driver’s license or identification card issued by the Virginia DMV is required to register to vote paperlessly. If you do not have a DMV-issued ID, you may also apply by using the federal postcard application. Detailed instructions are provided in the Virginia Voting Assistance Guide. If you do not receive your state ballot in time, you may vote using a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot. 

Click here to learn more about overseas absentee voter procedures.

VOTING ON ELECTION DAY

All voters casting a ballot in-person will be asked to show one form of identification:

-Virginia driver’s license (current or expired)

-Virginia DMV-issued ID card (current or expired)

-Valid employee ID card, containing a photograph, issued by voter’s employer in ordinary course of business (public or private employer)

-U.S. Military ID

-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 high 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 the name and address of the voter (the document cannot be more than 12 months old)

-Any other current government document containing the name and address of the voter

-Signed ID Confirmation Statement

Any voter who does not present acceptable identification may instead sign a statement, subject to felony penalties, that they are the named registered voter who they claim to be. Any voter who does not present acceptable identification or sign this statement must vote a provisional ballot. 

Virginia’s photo ID requirements also apply to absentee voters who vote in-person in all elections. Any registered voter who does not possess one of the above mentioned forms of photo ID may apply for a free Virginia Voter Photo Identification from any general registrar’s office in the Commonwealth.

Polling places are open from 6am to 7pm on Election Day.  Anyone in line at 7pm will be allowed to vote.

PROVISIONAL VOTING

A voter who arrives at the polling place without an acceptable form of photo identification will be given the opportunity to vote a provisional ballot. After completing the provisional ballot, the individual voting will be given written instructions from the election officials on how to submit a copy of their identification so that their vote can be counted.

A voter will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of the identification to the local electoral board. Voters may submit a copy of their ID via fax, email, in-person submission. Please note that the copy of the ID must be delivered to the electoral board by noon on the Friday following the election, or the provisional ballot cannot be counted. A Friday postmark will not be sufficient if the copy of the ID is not delivered to the electoral board by noon on Friday.

For more information, click here.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Verifying Registration: Virginia voter registration verification

Deciding how to vote: https://votesmart.org/

Polling Place: Virginia polling place locator

Problems with voting: Voter complaints

Verifying provisional ballot status:  Verify your provisional ballot status online

Verifying absentee ballot status: Verify your absentee ballot status online