Get ready to cast your vote. Make a plan for when and how you'll vote!
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Voting Methods
Voting on Election Day
Voting sites will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by close of polls, you have a right to vote. Voters with disabilities and voters ages 65 and older may vote curbside. More information is available at: elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/accessible-voting/.
If you did not register by the deadline to vote a regular ballot, you may still register to vote on Election Day at your precinct's polling location and then cast your ballot.
Look up your voting site and hours at: elections.virginia.gov/citizen-portal/index.html
If you're registered to vote with your campus address or you live locally, you may be eligible to vote at the Merten Hall voting location.
Voting Early (In Person)
In Virginia, 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.
- Accessible equipment and/or curbside voting is available upon request.
Early voting is a great option if you're worried about the lines on Election Day or if your polling location is off campus (meaning, you can visit home and vote while you're there!)
Voting by Mail
In some states, you are permitted to vote by mail:
- Eight states—California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington and the District of Columbia—allow all elections to be conducted entirely by mail.
- Two states—Nebraska and North Dakota—permit counties to opt into conducting elections by mail.
- Nine states—Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming—allow specific small elections to be conducted by mail.
- Four states—Idaho, Minnesota, New Jersey and New Mexico—permit mostly-mail elections for certain small jurisdictions.
In Virginia, you will need to request an absentee ballot to vote by mail. See below for information. If you're looking to vote by mail in one of the permitted states, please refer to your local elections website or visit vote.org
Absentee Ballot
All Virginia voters may vote by mail. If you have a Virginia driver’s license or ID card, you can request an absentee ballot online. If you do not have a Virginia driver’s license or ID card, you will need to fill out a paper application and email, mail, or fax it to your local registrar’s office.
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Mail-in Ballot Application Deadline: Your registrar must receive your absentee ballot request application by 5:00 p.m. on the 11th day before Election Day. A copy of the request form is available at: elections.virginia.gov/registration/voter-forms/.
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Completed Mail-in Ballot Return Deadline: Completed mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received before noon on the third day after Election Day. Absentee ballots can also be dropped off in-person at a drop-off location by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Please contact your local registrar’s office for drop-off locations.
Voters with disabilities can receive their absentee ballot electronically.
If you're not a Virginia voter, please see your local election website for absentee ballot requests or visit the Campus Vote Project.