To register to vote in the State of Virginia an individual must meet the following qualifications:
- Be a United States Citizen
- Be at least 18 years of age by the time of the election
- Be a resident of Virginia
- Does not claim the right to vote in any other state
- Is not currently declared mentally incompetent by a court of law
- Not have been convicted of a felony (unless your right to vote has been restored)
The Constitution of Virginia requires that you be registered in the precinct in which you live in order to be qualified to vote.
Registration forms must be postmarked or delivered to the county or city voter registration office or DMV at least 29 days before the election in order to register to vote.
State law requires all voters to provide an accetable form of identification at the polls. Voters without ID will need to vote a provisional ballot and will have until noon on Friday after the election to deliver a copy of identification to their locality's electoral board. This also applies to absentee voters who vote in-person. For acceptable forms of identification, click here.
Where you can register to vote in person or obtain a mail-in application from:
- State Board of Elections office
- State or local government offices when applying or recertifying for Aid to Dependent Children, Food Stamps, 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
- Department of Motor Vehicle offices
- Local voter registration offices
- Any special voter registration sites
Find your local voter registration office here.
A Voter Registration Application can also be found online. Mail completed forms to any official registration office.
Absentee Voting:
You can contact your local Voter Registration Office to request an absentee ballot application.
An absentee ballot application can be found online.
You can either return the completed application to your local voter registration office either by mail or fax. The absentee ballot application must be received in your local voter registration office by 5:00 pm on the Tuesday before Election Day to receive a ballot by mail. Absentee voting begins 45 days (approx.) before a November election and 30 days (approx.) before other elections.
If voting in person, absentee voting ends 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day. Completed ballots must be received in the general registrar's office by 7 p.m. on election day.
For more election and voter information you can contact the Virginia State Board of Elections.
