Virginia

Upcoming Elections

Currently there are no upcoming elections in Virginia.

Last Updated: August 2024

Voting in Virginia

When You Can Vote

Polls open at 6am and close at 7pm ET on Election day, November 5, 2024. Voters that are in line by 7:00 pm will be able to vote if their turn takes longer than 7:00 pm.

Where You Can Vote

Polling Place Lookup: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/polling-place-lookup/ 

On Election Day the voter can only vote at their assigned polling place for their address.

Registering to Vote

Registration Deadlines

  • For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in Virginia if you:

  • Are a U.S. citizen
  • Are a resident of Virginia
  • Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

You are NOT eligible to vote in Virginia if:

  • You have been legally declared “mentally incompetent” by a court
  • You are registered to vote in another state
  • You have been convicted of a felony and have not yet had your civil rights restored.

Agencies or courts in Virginia have issued opinions that individuals under guardianship DO have the right to vote unless the guardianship decree contains an express order otherwise.

Restorative Requirements

If convicted of a felony, you can’t vote while incarcerated, while on probation, or while on parole. Your right to vote can only be restored by the Governor. This is subject to change under future Governors and this page will be updated as needed.

You are able to pre-register:

  • at 17 years of age provided you will be 18 by the next general election.

Any person who is 17 years old and will be eighteen 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

How to register 

Voting Registration Methods & Deadlines

Verifying Voter Registration

Who is eligible to Vote? To be eligible to vote an individual must be:

  • 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); 
  • be a U.S. Citizen; 
  • be 18 years old by Election Day (If the voter is 17, but will be 18 on or before the next general election, they can still register and vote in the primary and special elections that occur before the next general election); 
  • not be registered NOR plan to vote in another state; 
  • not be currently declared mentally incompetent by a court of law; and
  • if convicted of a felony, the right to vote must have been restored
Early Voting & Voting by Absentee Ballot

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

  • In-Person
  • By Mail
  • By Fax
  • By Email
  • Online

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

  • In-Person
  • By Mail
  • If a voter is registered, the voter can vote absentee either by mail or early in person. A voter does not need to have a reason to do so. A registered voter can file to receive absentee ballots of all elections.
  • The deadline for a request to be received is October 25, 2024. The request must be received by the voter’s local voter registration office either by mail, email, or fax by 5:00 PM. Local voter registration offices can be found here: https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup.
  • Absentee voting in person shall continue until 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday immediately preceding the election November 2, 2024.

The voter can check if their absentee application was received and also whether their ballot was sent and received here: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/citizen-portal/  or here: https://app.ballotscout.org/virginia/search/state

Identification Requirements

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Virginia you should provide:

  • Your Virginia Driver’s License or State ID Number (online applicants only)
  • Your Social Security Number

Voting In-Person

Registered voters can use any of the IDs below or sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the polls. Voters arriving at the polls without an acceptable form of ID will be required to sign an ID Confirmation Statement.

  • Virginia Driver’s License – valid or expired
  • Virginia Non-Driver’s License – valid or expired
  • Valid Military ID
  • Valid Tribal ID
  • Valid Student ID from State School
  • Valid US Passport
  • Valid Virginia Voter ID Card
  • Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address
  • Valid Employee ID with photo
  • Government issued nursing care facility ID card
  • Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address

ID requirements also apply to early voters who vote at the General Registrar’s Office or at a satellite voting location. Note that you can use an expired Virginia driver’s license for voting purposes.

Voters do not need an ID to register to vote. However, voters must have a qualified ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement and then can vote normally. If the voter does not have an acceptable ID and refuses to sign an ID Confirmation Statement, the voter must vote a provisional ballot and then provide an ID or signed statement by noon on the Friday after the election to have their ballot counted.

If You Have Moved Within Your State
  • Moved within same precinct:
    • The voter should go to their regular polling location. The voter should ask for and fill out a change of address form. The voter can cast a regular ballot.
  • Moved to different precinct but within same county/city/district:
    • Voters may use same day registration to vote a provisional ballot at their new precinct. Voters may cast a regular ballot at their OLD precinct (unless their registration has been transferred or canceled) in the following November general election and any intervening election (such as a primary). 
    • In addition, a person may continue to vote in the precinct from which they have moved through the ensuing second general election for federal office, provided that (i) they have moved their residence from one precinct to another in the same registrar’s jurisdiction and the same congressional district; (ii) they have failed to respond to the notice provided in § 24.2-428; (iii) their registration has not been transferred or canceled as provided in this chapter; and (iv) they have affirmed orally or in writing their new address before an officer of election at the polling place.
  • Moved to a different election jurisdiction or new Congressional district:
    • Voters may use same day registration to vote a provisional ballot at their new precinct.
If You are in the Military or are an Overseas Voter

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

  • Complete Social Security Number

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

  • Complete Social Security Number
  • If the voter is an absent military or overseas citizen eligible to vote in state and local elections, they may register to vote and submit an absentee ballot application electronically for a specific election or any elections up through the next year using the Department of Elections voter registration portal at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/citizen-portal/.
  • Please note that a driver’s license or identification card issued by the Virginia DMV is required to complete the process on-line.  The voter may also apply by using the federal postcard application (FPCA), available at www.fvap.gov. The voter can submit their FPCA by scanned email attachment to  info@elections.virginia.gov or via fax to (804) 371-0194. Detailed instructions are provided in the Virginia Voting Assistance Guide at https://www.fvap.gov/guide/chapter2/virginia. FPCA’s are valid for all elections in the calendar year in which they are submitted and must be renewed annually.

If the voter does not receive their state ballot in time, the voter may vote using a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), available at www.fvap.gov.

If You Have a Criminal Record

If the voter has only been convicted of a misdemeanor, they can vote. 


A person who has been convicted of a felony in a Virginia state court may register to vote and vote only if their rights have been restored. Previous Governors of Virginia have prioritized rights restoration and have been restoring rights of formerly incarcerated Virginia residents on an ongoing basis. If a person has a felony conviction in Virginia, they may request that their rights be restored and check on the status of their restoration at the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Restoration of Rights webpage (https://solutions.virginia.gov/RestorationOfRights/Search). If a person has a felony conviction in a state other than Virginia, that person must first have their rights restored in that state before being able to register to vote in Virginia. Note that in many states restoration is automatic upon completion of the sentence.

Find Your Polling Place Register to Vote

Questions about voting in Virginia?

Contact Us