Virginia

Welcome to the Virginia state page! Here, Virginia organizers can access and document ongoing projects, current leadership positions, upcoming races, and other important information. This list is non-exhaustive, and state teams are encouraged to expand and adapt these pages to their organizing needs.

To be Eligible to Register to Vote in Virginia a Person 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).
• Be a U. S. Citizen.
• Be 18 years old (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).
• Not be registered and plan to vote in another state.
• Not currently declared mentally incompetent by a court of law.
• If convicted of a felony, your right to vote must have been restored.

Persons Eligible to Register can Obtain a Registration Application at any of the Following Locations:

• Online Registration
• Local voter registration office
• Download a PDF copy of the registration form (En Español) (Tiếng Việt) (한 국어)
• 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
• Voter Registration Drives

Registration Deadlines
General	22 Days before election
Primary	22 Days before election
Special	14 Days before election
Special (Called by the Governor)	7 Days before election

Where to Send Your Completed Application

The Voter Registration Application can be mailed via the U.S. postal service or hand-delivered to any official registration office.

• If mailed, the application must be postmarked no later than the deadline.
• If delivered in person, either by the applicant or a third party, the application must be received by the deadline. On the final day of registration for an election all general registrar offices close at 5:00 p.m.
• Applications postmarked or received after the deadline will be held and processed after the election.
• For questions concerning completing the application and voting on Election Day, call your local registration office.
• Check your voter registration record online.
• For other questions contact the Virginia Department of Elections.

Voter-Registration-Application.pdf

ID Requirements:

* Your DMV license may be used at any time. Virginia law permits an expired DMV license to be used for voting purposes.

Can I vote if I forget my ID?

Yes! If you get to your polling place without an acceptable ID, you can sign an ID statement affirming your identity, you will be able to vote a regular ballot.

If you do not sign an ID statement to affirm your identity you may vote a provisional ballot. You will be provided instructions to ensure your vote will count.

Same Day Voter Registration

Same day registration refers to the ability to register to vote in-person and immediately vote a provisional ballot after the deadline to register and vote a non-provisional ballot has passed.

We will address some of the frequently asked questions about this new process:

• Is same day registration new in Virginia?
  • Yes. Beginning with the 2022 General Election, the General Assembly approved legislation that provides the ability to register at any time, up to and including Election Day.
• How is this different from how registration has previously worked?
  • Previously, registration was closed for the 21 days before an election; there was no ability to register to vote after this deadline. The new law allows registration, with limitations, during the 21-day period before an election.
• What is a provisional ballot?
  • Provisional ballots are used by voters who do not appear on the list of registered voters at their polling location. Provisional ballots are not processed by a vote counting machine at the time of voting, but rather are subject to approval by the local electoral board prior to the ballot being counted.
• What happens to my provisional ballot after I vote?
  • The general registrar’s office for your locality will research your ballot to gather evidence about whether you are qualified and eligible to vote. The general registrar’s office will forward your ballot and the information gathered to the electoral board to review and approve or deny your ballot.
• How will I know if my provisional ballot is counted?
  • After you vote, you will be given a notice with the date, time, and place where the local electoral board will make a decision regarding your provisional ballot. You are entitled to attend this meeting, but you are not required to attend in order for your ballot to be counted. If your registration application is approved and there are no other issues, your ballot will be counted. If your ballot is not counted, you will receive written notice from your general registrar.
• Who can same day register?
  • Any person qualified to register to vote is eligible. However, if you are already registered in a different locality and seeking to update your registration, you may be eligible to cast a non-provisional ballot, rather than the provisional ballot used for same day registration. Your general registrar or officer of election at your polling place can provide further information about eligibility.
• When can I same day register?
  • Same day registration and voting with a provisional ballot can be utilized after the October 16 deadline to register to vote a non-provisional ballot.
• Where do I same day register?
  • You may same day register at the office of your general registrar or satellite location during the early voting period. On Election Day, you must go to the polling place for the precinct in which you reside.
• How do I find my polling place?
  • You can find this information by contacting the office of the general registrar for the locality in which you reside. You can find information about your general registrar’s office on the Department of Elections’ website at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup.

How do College Students register to vote in Virginia?

A college student registers to vote in Virginia the same as any other applicant: every prospective voter must submit a voter registration application. Remember, you must update your voter registration information whenever you change your residence.

Every voter in Virginia must submit their residential address when registering to vote (a post office box cannot serve as a residential address). If you are unable to receive mail at your address, you must also submit a local mailing address.

A dormitory or college address can be an acceptable residential address and does not disqualify you from voting. If your local voter registration office is unable to determine your physical residency based on a college address you provided on your voter registration application, the local voter registration office will contact you to request further information needed to register you to vote. Providing your e-mail address and phone number on your voter registration application is a helpful way to ensure that the local voter registration office is able to contact you promptly. The local voter registration office may contact you by mail at the mailing address you provide on your voter registration application.

What is my residence?

A prospective voter must be a resident of the Commonwealth and of the precinct where he seeks to register. In order to establish “residency,” a prospective voter must have a physical location where they intend to stay for an unlimited time. A person can have residency in only one place at a time.

The applicant must determine and declare their residence and may change their intent at any time.

How do College Students vote?

A college student votes in the same manner as any other registered voter: you may vote in person on Election Day, vote early beginning 45 days ahead of an election, or vote absentee by mail.

Voting on Election Day

Virginia law requires all voters to provide either an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the polls. Voters arriving at the polls without an acceptable form of ID will be required to either sign an ID Confirmation Statement or vote a provisional ballot.  If a voter votes a provisional ballot, they will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of identification to their locality’s electoral board or sign an ID Confirmation Statement in order for their provisional ballot to be counted. Please see below in Provisional Ballot Process for Voters Who Arrive Without Identification for more information on how the provisional ballot process will work for those arriving to the polls without ID.

Virginia’s ID requirements also apply to early voters who vote at the General Registrar's Office or at a satellite voting location. Please see the Absentee and Early Voting page for additional instructions and requirements when voting early.

Find your voting location

Acceptable forms of identification for voting at the polling place or voting early:

• Review the list of Acceptable Forms of Voter Identification- (Español), (한국인), (Tiếng Việt)

A voter who does not bring an acceptable ID to the polls or does not sign an ID Confirmation Statement will be offered a provisional ballot.

Don’t have one of these forms of ID?

Any registered voter who does not possess one of the above mentioned forms of ID, may sign an ID Confirmation Statement.

Absentee and Early Voting

Applying to Vote Absentee By Mail

• Apply online to vote by mail
• All PAPER absentee application forms can be found on our forms page.
• Military and overseas voters can find specific information regarding absentee voting on our military and overseas voting page.

If you have submitted an absentee ballot application for a ballot to be sent by mail, you can track your ballot by logging into Ballot Scout.

If you are a voter in Fairfax County and submitted an application to vote absentee, please track your ballot here.

You Can Also Submit Your "Vote By Mail" Application Form By Mail, Fax, Or Email

• Download and complete the Absentee Application Form (En Español) (Tiếng Việt) (한 국어)
  • You can also download and complete the  (En Español) (Tiếng Việt) (한 국어)
• Return the completed and signed form to your local registrar's office by mail, fax, or scanned attachment to an email.  Contact information for your local general registrar's office is available using our online lookup tool.
• After the registrar processes your application, you will receive your ballot in the mail. Please note: ballots can be mailed out to applicants starting 45 days prior to the relevant election date.

Returning your voted ballot

• Carefully review the instructions mailed with your ballot. Complete and return your ballot to your local general registrar's office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
• You may also return your absentee ballot to a drop-off location. For more information on drop off locations in your locality, review the absentee instructions provided in your absentee ballot mailing.
• If you are returning your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked on or before election day and received by your general registrar's office by noon on the third day following the election (In the event that that day is a holiday, the deadline is moved to the following business day).

• For federal elections see section titled "**Special Federal ID Requirements for Certain First Time Absentee By Mail Voters."

** Special Federal ID Requirements For Certain First Time Absentee By Mail Voters

For persons who registered to vote in Virginia by mail, federal law requires them to show identification (ID) when voting for the first time in a federal election if they did not send a copy of one of these IDs with their voter registration applications. Recent legislation has eliminated the differences in acceptable identification for in-person voting. Therefore, the special federal ID requirements only apply to certain absentee voters by mail who will be notified by a notice explaining the requirements sent with their absentee ballot. Voters who receive a notice about this special requirements need to include a copy of any of the following types of ID with the voted ballot:

• A current and valid photo ID (for example a driver’s license);
• or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck that shows name and address;
• or another government document that shows name and address (for example a voter card). If the voter returns an absentee ballot by mail without a copy of one of these forms of ID, the absentee ballot will be treated as a provisional ballot and counted only if the voter provides a copy of ID to the electoral board by the deadline applicable to all voters.

If the voter returns an absentee ballot by mail without a copy of one of these forms of ID, the absentee ballot will be treated as a provisional ballot and counted only if the voter provides a copy of ID to the electoral board by the deadline applicable to all voters.

Emergency Absentee Voting

(Code of Virginia 24.2-705)

There are two basic types of emergency absentee voting with different procedures for each. You can print a copy of the emergency absentee ballot application using the link here:

1. Emergency Absentee Voting Due to Hospitalization, Illness, or other Emergency

ELIGIBILITY

You may cast an emergency absentee ballot if one of the following situations applies to you:

• You were unable to apply for an absentee ballot by the deadline due to your 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; or
• You will be unable to vote on Election Day due to your hospitalization or illness, the hospitalization, illness or death of a spouse, child, or parent, or other emergency found to justify receipt of an emergency absentee ballot that occurred after the deadline for applying for an absentee ballot.

VOTER REQUIREMENTS

• You may request to vote emergency absentee at any time prior to 2:00 pm on the day preceding the election
• If you are approved for an emergency ballot, your general registrar shall provide the absentee ballot to your designated representative for delivery to you
• You shall mark the ballot in the presence of your designated representative
• The ballot shall be counted only if the ballot is received by the general registrar prior to the close of polls

2. Emergency Absentee Voting Due to Unexpected Obligation

ELIGIBILITY

• You may cast an emergency absentee ballot if you are either an officer of election who was assigned after 12:00pm on the Saturday before the election to work in a precinct other than your own; or
• You had an obligation arise after 12:00 pm on the Saturday before the election due either to; 1) your business, profession, or occupation; 2) the hospitalization of you or a member of your immediate family; or 3) the death of a member of your immediate family.

VOTER REQUIREMENTS

• You must apply and vote in person by 2:00pm on the day preceding the election.

Early Voting In-Person

You can vote early at your local registrar’s office beginning 45 days before Election Day and ending the Saturday before Election Day. Before visiting your local registrar’s office, you may wish to check your registration status or call your registrar’s office. You can find your registrar’s phone number here. To vote early in-person, do the following:

• Starting 45 days before Election Day, visit your local registrar’s office or a satellite voting location in your county or city to vote early. Remember, the Saturday before Election Day is the last day to vote early.
• You do not have to have a reason or fill out an application to vote early.
• At the registrar’s office or satellite voting location, you must provide your name and address and show an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement. To view a complete list of acceptable IDs, please visit our page. If acceptable identification is not provided, you must sign an ID Confirmation Statement or a provisional ballot will be offered and you are allowed until the Friday at noon following the election to provide a copy of acceptable identification to the electoral board or sign an ID Confirmation Statement. Provisional voters receive a notice to remind them of the deadline and right to attend the electoral board meeting.
• Accessible equipment and/or curbside voting is available upon request.

Voting on Election Day

Virginia law requires all voters to provide either an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the polls. Voters arriving at the polls without an acceptable form of ID will be required to either sign an ID Confirmation Statement or vote a provisional ballot.  If a voter votes a provisional ballot, they will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of identification to their locality’s electoral board or sign an ID Confirmation Statement in order for their provisional ballot to be counted. Please see below in Provisional Ballot Process for Voters Who Arrive Without Identification for more information on how the provisional ballot process will work for those arriving to the polls without ID.

Virginia’s ID requirements also apply to early voters who vote at the General Registrar's Office or at a satellite voting location. Please see the Absentee and Early Voting page for additional instructions and requirements when voting early.

Find your voting location

Acceptable forms of identification for voting at the polling place or voting early:

• Review the list of Acceptable Forms of Voter Identification- (Español), (한국인), (Tiếng Việt)

A voter who does not bring an acceptable ID to the polls or does not sign an ID Confirmation Statement will be offered a provisional ballot.

Don’t have one of these forms of ID?

Any registered voter who does not possess one of the above mentioned forms of ID, may sign an ID Confirmation Statement.

Provisional Ballot Process for Voters Who Arrive Without Identification

A voter who arrives at the polling place without an acceptable form of identification or who refuses to sign an ID Confirmation Statement, 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 his/her identification or sign and submit an ID Confirmation Statement so that his/her vote can be counted.

A voter will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of the identification or sign and submit an ID Confirmation Statement to the local electoral board. Voters may submit a copy of their ID of ID Confirmation Statement via fax, email, in-person submission, or through USPS or commercial delivery service. Please note that the copy of the ID or signed ID Confirmation Statement 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 either of these are not delivered to the electoral board by noon on Friday.

The written notice given to the voter will provide the necessary information, including email, fax, and address where the ID or ID Confirmation Statement should be delivered.