How to Register

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
• State or local government offices when applying or re-certifying 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
• Virginia Department of Elections office
• Department of Motor Vehicles offices
• Voter Registration Drives

The completed application can be filed with the local registration office or mailed to the address printed on the form. Application for registration can be submitted using a Virginia Voter Registration Application form or a National Voter Registration Application form. Military and other persons residing outside of the United States should contact the Federal Voting Assistance Program for registration information.

Once you have submitted your registration form, you should receive an information card or other correspondence confirming your registration status. If you do not receive one, contact your local Registrar’s Office to make sure that your application has been processed. You can also check for your voter record online. Please note that an information card or other correspondence confirming your voter registration status does not qualify as photo identification. For information on qualified identification for voting in person, or how to obtain a Voter Photo Identification card, please visit: elections.virginia.gov/voterID or call toll free at (800) 552-9745 or TTY: 711

Please note: The deadline to register to vote also applies to updating your voter registration address. Generally the deadline for registration is three weeks before a general election and shorter for special elections to fill vacancies. If your address change is not submitted to the office of the general registrar by the applicable deadline for the election in which you wish to vote, you may not be able to vote. Please notify the general registrar of address changes promptly.

Registration Deadlines

• General 22 Days before election
• Primary 22 Days before election
• Special 14 Days before election
• Special (Called by Gov.) 7 Days before election

IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESSFUL REGISTRATION:

• Download Application or Update on Line
• Complete all information blocks on the application. If any information requested does not apply to you, indicate such by writing the word “NONE” or “NA” in that space.
• Sign and date the registration application.
• Submit your completed application by mailing it to the appropriate address, or delivering it to your local registration office. Mailing addresses for General Registrars can be found using our lookup tool.

Failure to complete the form properly could result in your registration being delayed or denied. Note that you must provide your Social Security number, if any, when applying to register to vote in Virginia. Therefore, if you do not provide your Social Security number, your application for voter registration will be denied. State and local voting officials will use your Social Security number as a unique identifier to insure that no person is registered in more than one place. Records containing your Social Security number will not be open to inspection by the public. Your Social Security number will appear on reports produced only for official use by voter registration and election officials, and for jury selection purposes by courts.

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.

If you have any questions regarding your voter registration status, please contact your local Voter Registration Office.

VOTING ABSENTEE BALLOT

WHAT IS ABSENTEE VOTING

Absentee voting refers to the process of voting before Election Day. In Virginia, you may vote either absentee by-mail or vote early in-person.

“Absentee by-mail” refers to the process of applying to receive a ballot in the mail, and then returning that absentee ballot by mail, an express delivery service, personally to the General Registrar’s Office, or to a drop-off location.

WHO CAN VOTE ABSENTEE

In Virginia, any registered voter may vote absentee either by-mail or early in-person.

HOW TO VOTE ABSENTEE

• Apply online to vote by mail
  • You can complete that application online, here. Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions included to complete and return the ballot.
• Submitting a PAPER absentee application form
  • If you would prefer to complete a paper application, call your local registrar’s office. You can find your registrar’s contact information using the registrar look-up tool on the State's website.
  • You can also find a printable paper copy of the absentee ballot application here.

After applying, you can check to see if your absentee application was received, and whether your ballot was sent and received by going to our Citizen Portal.

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.

YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT YOUR “VOTE BY MAIL” APPLICATION FORM BY MAIL, FAX, OR EMAIL

• Download and complete the Vote by Mail Application Form
• 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 to complete and return your ballot to your local registrar by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. If you are returning your ballot by-mail, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your registrar by noon on the third day after the election.
• You may also return your absentee ballot to a drop-off location. For more information on drop-off locations in your locality, review your absentee ballot instructions.
• 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.” on the State website

ABSENTEE DEADLINES

Absentee applications are due by the 2nd Friday before the election.

Voting help for uniformed service members, their families, and citizens living outside the U.S. can be found at the Federal Voting Assistance Program website.