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Virginia
Voting Guide
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: 22 days before Election Day to vote a regular ballot.
After the deadline you may also register in-person and vote a provisional ballot during early voting at the office of the general registrar or their satellite office in your locality, or on Election Day at your precinct's polling place. Advanced registration is recommended.
2024 Election Information
Presidential Primary Election: March 5, 2024
Voter Registration Deadline: February 12, 2024
Mail Ballot Application Deadline: February 23, 2024
Primary Election: June 18, 2024
Voter Registration Deadline: May 28, 2024
Mail Ballot Application Deadline: June 7, 2024
General Election: November 5, 2024
Voter Registration Deadline: October 15, 2024
Mail Ballot Application Deadline: October 25, 2024
Official Election Websites
More election information at: elections.virginia.gov/index.html
Online voter registration available at: vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation
Mail-in PDF voter registration form available at: bit.ly/VA-Mail-Voter-Reg
Register at School or Home
Students have a decision about where to register to vote.
You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
Virginia’s voter registration form requires applicants to provide their full Social Security number when registering to vote. However, applicants who register online must provide both their Virginia-issued driver’s license or ID number and their full Social Security number.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
Virginia law requires voters who cast a ballot in person to present ID. However, voters who do not have an acceptable form of ID can vote by signing a statement affirming their identity. Please note, the expiration date on a Virginia driver’s license or ID card will not be considered.
Acceptable forms of ID include:
A Virginia driver’s license or ID card issued by the Virginia DMV, U.S. passport, or U.S. military ID or any other ID issued by Virginia, one of its political subdivisions, or the U.S. government
Voter confirmation documents or ID issued by the Department of Elections
A non-photo ID issued by Virginia, a political subdivision of Virginia, or the United States
A valid student photo ID issued by a public or private high school or school of higher learning in Virginia
Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or government document containing the voter’s name and current address, and issued within the previous 12 months
A valid employee ID card containing a photograph of the voter
A tribal ID issued by any of the 11 recognized tribes in Virginia
A full list of acceptable IDs can be found at:
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Look up your voting site and hours at:
How Can I Vote?
By Mail: 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.
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/.
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. More information is available at: elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/accessible-voting/.
Early In Person: Any voter can apply for an in-person absentee ballot at their local Board of Elections office or satellite voting location and cast their absentee ballot at the same time, beginning 45 days before an election until 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day. If you are not registered, you may still participate in early voting by registering at the office of the registrar or their satellite office in your locality prior to casting your ballot.
Find your local Board of Elections and Registrar Office here:
vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup
Find Early Voting Office Locations here:
https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/early-voting-office-locations/
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.
Common Questions/Concerns
Does Registering to Vote Affect my Federal Financial Aid?
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA.
Does Registering to Vote Affect my Status as a Dependent on My Parents’ Taxes?
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
Does Registering to Vote impact my Tuition Status?
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community.
Will registering to vote in Virginia affect my driver’s license or car registration?
With few exceptions, registering to vote in Virginia will have no impact on changing your driver’s license and motor vehicle registration. However, as a full-time student in Virginia, you may have to make changes regardless of whether you register to vote in Virginia. For more information contact the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Virginia legal professional.
Last updated February 2024