Voting in Virginia
General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
At a glance
Many people are registered automatically when they deal with the DMV or certain state agencies. You can register and vote on the same day, including Election Day.
Show any of many IDs (photo or non-photo, e.g. utility bill); without it, sign a statement under penalty of perjury and vote a regular ballot. No ID? Ask your election office whether it offers a free one for voting. First-time voters who registered by mail may need to show ID under federal law.
Return deadline: postmarked by Election Day and received by noon Nov 6 (3rd day after); HB 82/SB 58 (2026) moves to 5 p.m. effective Jan 1, 2027.
Sept 19 - Oct 31 (45 days before through Saturday before)
Every felony conviction removes the vote until the governor restores it, case by case; a constitutional amendment on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot would restore rights automatically on release from prison.
Deadlines
| Step | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Register online | Friday, October 23 | |
| Register by mail | Friday, October 23 | |
| Register in person | Tuesday, November 3 | Same-day registration |
| Election Day | Tuesday, November 3 | Polls close times vary; check your state. |
Mail ballot request: received by 5 p.m. Oct 23 (11 days before). Mail ballot return: postmarked by Election Day and received by noon Nov 6 (3rd day after); HB 82/SB 58 (2026) moves to 5 p.m. effective Jan 1, 2027.
Where the road gets harder
Every rule is a cost, and it doesn't fall on everyone the same. A deadline, a document or a trip to an office is easy for some people and a real obstacle for others: people who work hourly jobs, move often, live far from an office, don't drive, or have a disability. Here is what that looks like in Virginia.
- After a felony conviction: Every felony conviction removes the vote until the governor restores it, case by case; a constitutional amendment on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot would restore rights automatically on release from prison.
- The Sentencing Project estimated in 2024 that 264,292 people in Virginia (4.18% of the voting-eligible population, and 9.84% of Black voting-eligible residents) could not vote because of a felony conviction.Source: The Sentencing Project, Locked Out 2024
- Virginia's constitution permanently removes voting rights for any felony conviction unless the governor restores them individually; a referendum on the November 3, 2026 ballot would restore rights after release from incarceration.Source: WTOP
News from Virginia
Recent election, voting and policy headlines that mention Virginia, newest first. They are found automatically and not checked: a headline shows what someone published, not that it is true.
News appears here once the news feed is connected.
Official links
Virginia Department of Elections. These go straight to the government, not to us.
Sources
Checked October 12, 2026. Laws and court rulings change, sometimes close to an election. If anything here disagrees with your state or county election office, they are right and we are wrong; please tell us.
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-registration-deadlines
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/online-voter-registration
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/automatic-voter-registration
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/same-day-voter-registration
- https://www.usvotefoundation.org/virginia-election-dates-and-deadlines
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-11-receipt-and-postmark-deadlines-for-absentee-mail-ballots
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/early-in-person-voting
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-1-states-with-no-excuse-absentee-voting
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-3-states-with-permanent-absentee-voting-lists
- https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting/
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id
- https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights
- https://wtop.com/virginia/2026/08/spanberger-restores-voting-rights-to-more-than-60000-virginians/
- https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/locked-out-2024-four-million-denied-voting-rights-due-to-a-felony-conviction/