GET READY TO VOTE IN VIRGINIA

How to Vote Early in VA

Virginia offers no-excuse early in-person voting — no reason is required. Any registered voter may vote early.

Early in-person voting runs Friday, September 18, 2026, through Saturday, October 31, 2026 (the Saturday before Election Day).

Early voting locations are open during regular business hours. Voter registration offices will also be open for early voting on Sunday, October 18; Saturday, October 24; Sunday, October 25; and Saturday, October 31, 2026.

You do not need to fill out an application or give a reason to vote early.

You must show an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement when voting early — the same requirements as Election Day.

All localities offer early voting. Contact your local registrar's office for your specific location's hours and any satellite voting locations.

Accessible equipment and curbside voting are available upon request.

Find Where to Early Vote

How to Vote by Mail

Any registered Virginia voter may request a mail-in ballot.

The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 23, 2026. Apply online through the Citizen Portal or download and submit the Absentee Application Form (PDF) to your local registrar by mail, fax, or email.

Permanent Absentee List: Voters may sign up to automatically receive a mail-in ballot for all future elections via the Citizen Portal or by submitting a Permanent Absentee Application (PDF).

Return completed ballots to your local general registrar's office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 3. You may return your ballot in person, to an official drop-off location, or by mail.

If returning by mail, the ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your registrar by noon on the third day following the election (November 6, 2026).

Track your mail-in ballot using Ballot Scout. (Fairfax County voters: track here. Prince William County voters: track here.)

Learn More about Absentee & Early Voting

Voting on Election Day

On Election Day, you must vote at your designated polling place. Find your assigned polling location using the Polling Place and Ballot Information Lookup tool on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

Polling places are open on Election Day from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you are in line by 7:00 p.m., you may cast your ballot.

Virginia law requires all voters to provide either an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the polls.

Voters arriving without an acceptable ID may sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the polls or vote a provisional ballot and have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement to their local electoral board.

Find Your Polling Place

Deadline to Register

The deadline to register to vote is Friday, October 23, 2026. All registrar offices close at 5:00 p.m. on the final day.

Same-day registration is available. Voters who miss the October 23 deadline may register and vote using a provisional ballot in person at their local registrar's office through Election Day.

Check or update your voter registration using the Citizen Portal.

You can register:

Online. Register or update at the Virginia Citizen Portal.

By mail or in person. Download the Voter Registration Application (PDF) and mail or deliver it to your local voter registration office. If mailed, the application must be postmarked by October 23, 2026.

At state agencies. Register at DMV offices, public libraries, armed forces recruitment offices, and other state-designated locations.

Register to Vote

What to Bring to the Polls

Bring your ID!

Acceptable forms of ID include: Virginia driver’s license, Virginia DMV-issued ID card, valid employee ID card, containing a photograph, issued by voter’s employer in ordinary course of business (public or private employer), U.S. military ID, valid student ID (details here), valid U.S. passport or passport card, government-issued ID card, voter ID card issued by the Department of Elections, valid tribal enrollment or other tribal ID, nursing home resident ID, voter confirmation documents, current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck containing the name and address of the voter, any other current government document containing the name and address of the voter, or signed ID Confirmation Statement.

However, if you arrive at your polling place without acceptable ID, you can sign an ID statement affirming your identity and vote a regular ballot.

​If you do not sign an ID statement to affirm your identity, you may vote a provisional ballot. You will receive instructions to ensure your vote counts.