Today is National Voter Registration Day. Aside from the contest for President of the United States, there are other federal slots to be filled. 34 states, including Virginia, have a Senate seat on the ballot. In the House of Representatives all 435 seats are up for grabs. There might also be local candidate or issues to be voted on. In Virginia, aside from our choices on the Federal level, we will be voting to amend the Virginia Constitution. To that end, we recognize National Voter Registration Day. It is a day to celebrate democracy. A day to celebrate access to a basic right we have as American citizens, the right to cast a ballot for the candidate of our choice. If, for some reason, you aren’t registered to vote you can go to National Voter Registration Day to learn the law in your home state.
If you’ve recently moved to Virginia and would like to vote here in the upcoming general election you have plenty of time to register. In order to vote with a non-provisional ballot, you have until October 15th to register. In 2022, however, the Virginia General Assembly approved Same Day Voter Registration. You can show up at your polling place with proof of residence and vote with a provisional ballot. I.e. your ballot will not be counted until the registrar confirms your residency. You can register online, through the mail, or in person. Visit Virginia Department of Elections website for more information.
Voting in Virginia is easy. Virginia allows “no-excuse” absentee voting. A request for an absentee ballot can be made online, in person, by mail, fax, or email but it has to be received by the local registrar of elections by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 25th. In fact, you can ask to be put on a “permanent absentee list” indicating your desire to be an absentee voter in ALL future elections. You can even request an absentee ballot on the same day your register to vote. Va. Code Ann § 24.2-701
Once the voter receives the ballot they must read all of the instructions that accompany it. It’s not a simple matter of checking a box! There are specific instructions on signing and placing the ballot in the provided envelope. If you are a first-time absentee voter, you might also have to send in a copy of some form of identification. Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-707. This year, since this is also a federal election year, there are special federal ID requirements for first time voters. Federal ID Rules for First Time Absentee Voters Your mailed vote has to be postmarked on or before November 5th and must be received by the local registrar of elections by noon on November 10th. Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-709. Virginia has also updated the definition of what it means to “mail” your ballot. You can use the U.S. Postal Service or any commercial delivery service (such as UPS or Fed Ex). You can’t however, use a personal courier service or ask someone to drop off your ballot for you. If going to the registrar of elections office would be difficult, you could drop off your ballot at a designated drop-off location. Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-707.
If you don’t want to bother with an absentee ballot, voting in person is equally easy. In fact, early voting in Virginia begins this week on Friday, September 20th and continues until Saturday, November 2d at 5:00 p.m. BUT you can’t vote every Saturday. Early voting is held at the city or county office of the Registrar of Elections during normal business hours. That means between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Virginia Code Section 24.2-701.1 mandates that the Registrar’s office be open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. the two Saturdays before the General Election, this year, Saturday, October 26th and Saturday, November 2d.