Virginia

Election Day

Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern time on Election Day.

Early Voting

Registered voters may go in person to their local registrar’s office or a satellite voting location) to vote early in-person. A registered voter will be allowed to vote in-person in the registrar’s office.  In-person early voting is conducted starting 45 days prior to an election.  You cannot register to vote and cast an early ballot in person on the same day.  You do not have to have a reason or fill out an application to vote early in-person.  Contact information for your local registrar’s office can be found at (https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup ).

By Mail 

See below for more information on voting by mail.

How to Find Your Polling Place: A voter can determine his or her proper polling place by checking the Virginia Voter Info website (https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/Lookup/pollingplace).

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

Restorative Requirements

• You are a convicted felon involving moral turpitude, unless your voting rights have been restored.

How to register 

• Virginia State General Election
  • Register By: Mon Oct 17, 2022
  • Apply Online: Online by Mon Oct 17, 2022
  • Submit a Printed Application: Postmarked by Mon Oct 17, 2022
  • In-Person, Received by Mon Oct 17, 2022

1. Online

Applicants can apply to register on the Virginia Department of Elections website, provided they have a valid Virginia driver’s license or state ID card and social security number handy.

2. By Mail

In order to register by mail, you must obtain a mail-in registration form by downloading a mail-in form from the Virginia Department of Elections website or by picking up a form at one of the following places:

• A local voter registration office, 
• State or local government offices when applying or re-certifying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), SNAP, 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, or 
• Voter Registration Drives.

NOTE: If mailed, the application must be postmarked no later than the deadline.

NOTE: Downloadable forms are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean.

3. In person

You may register to vote in person at a local voter registration office (find your local office here).

Identification Required for Registration: Identification is not required of voters registering in person, although the Virginia Voter Registration Form requires the applicant’s social security number.  If an applicant does not provide his/her social security number, the application for voter registration will be denied.All voters must show one acceptable form of ID or sign an ID confirmation statement when voting in-person. In federal elections, all first-time voters who registered by mail will be required to provide one acceptable form of ID; a written statement will not be accepted.

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

Virginia State General Election

Ballot Request:

• In-Person Request by Sat Nov 5, 2022 5:00PM EDT
• Request for Postal Ballot by Fri Oct 28, 2022 5:00PM EDT

Ballot Return:

• Received by Tue Nov 8, 2022 7:00PM EST

If You Want to Vote Early In-Person In-person early voting: Registered voters may go in person to their local registrar’s office to vote early, no reason is needed to vote early.   In-person early voting is conducted starting 45 days prior to an election.  You cannot register to vote and cast an early ballot on the same day.   Contact information for your local registrar’s office can be found at: https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup  

If You Want to Vote Absentee By Mail

This type of absentee voting allows a voter to request an absentee ballot be sent to the voter by mail.  Any registered Virginia voter can request a mail-in absentee. 

Voters can easily apply for an absentee ballot online by visiting https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation or may obtain an absentee ballot application on the Department of Elections’ website, at the State Board of Elections’ office, or at the office of a county board of elections.     

Under certain circumstances, first-time voters cannot vote absentee by mail in state and local elections.  Under certain circumstances, first-time voters in Virginia who registered to vote by mail are required to send a copy of their ID when voting absentee by mail and will be notified when sent their absentee ballot.  For more information on voting absentee as a first time Virginia voter, please go to https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting/. 

The deadline to return an absentee ballot is by the close of polls (7:00 p.m.) on Election Day. If returning by mail, it must be postmarked on or before election day, and received by the registrar by noon on the third day following the election

Only the voter themselves can drop off their ballot at the registrar’s office, but there are no prohibitions or restrictions on who drops off the voter’s ballot at a ballot drop box.If a voter has not received their absentee ballot by Election Day they can still vote in person. The voter should go to their normal polling place and request a “goldenrod form” that they sign under penalty of law swearing they never received an absentee ballot, and then should be able to cast a regular ballot, rather than a provisional ballot. [Note: The legal language here is tricky so the best way forward is to let voters know this may be an option, but that the voter should call their local election office ahead of time or talk to the chief election officer at their polling place to see if this is a route they can take.] Regardless, a voter must be allowed to vote a provisional ballot, which will be counted if the voter has not also returned their absentee ballot by mail.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Virginia you should provide:

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

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.

• Valid Virginia Driver’s License
• Valid Virginia non-driver’s ID
• 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.

For a detailed list of accepted ID please click here: Acceptable IDs for voting in Virginia 

“Valid” means the document is genuine and is not expired for more than twelve months, EXCEPT for a Virginia driver’s license, for which the expiration date should NOT be considered when determining its validity. 

If your current address does not match that on the voter rolls, the officer of election shall provide you with a change of address form.  False statements in the form are subject to felony penalties. 

If you do not have identification with you, you may sign an ID Confirmation Statement.  Otherwise, you may cast a provisional ballot, but you must submit a copy of your ID or sign and submit an ID Confirmation Statement to your local electoral board via fax, email, in-person, or via mail. Your copies or confirmation statement must be received by the local electoral board by noon on the third day after the election (usually a Friday) or your provisional ballot will not be counted.

Moving within the Same Precinct 

Go to your regular polling location. You need to ask for and fill out a change of address form. You can cast a regular ballot.

Moving within the Same Congressional District within the Same County or City

Go to your OLD precinct to vote (unless your registration has been transferred or canceled). You may vote through the next two federal elections following your move and any intervening elections. You need to ask for and fill out a change of address form. You can cast a regular ballot.

Moving Between Congressional Districts and/or Counties

Go to your OLD precinct to vote (unless your registration has been transferred or canceled). You may vote through the next November general election following your move and any intervening elections. You need to ask for and fill out a change of address form. You can cast a regular ballot.

More information can be found at the Department of Elections website.

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

Registering and Requesting an Absentee Ballot

Military and overseas citizens can use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), also known as Standard Form 76, to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot.  Visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Virginia-specific FPCA webpage. Military and overseas citizens can send and receive voting materials by fax and email.  If you wish to use the fax or email options, you must indicate this on your FPCA.  

More information can be found at the Department of Elections website.

If you have a felony conviction, then you will not be able to register to vote unless your rights have been restored by the Governor. You can request restoration of rights and check on the status of your request by visiting the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Restoration of Rights website.

Voters may also request more information from our state partner, visit their website Revive My Vote, or call 1-844-WE2-VOTE (1-844-932-8683).