Early voting begins for Virginia's 2024 primary

Primary season is here, and that means you have decisions to make about when and how to vote. We've got key details and deadlines if you're casting a ballot in Virginia this year.

When is Virginia's 2024 primary?

While Virginia's presidential primary came and went on Super Tuesday, voters still have the opportunity to cast primary ballots for local races and U.S. House and Senate races.

The official primary day for those races in Virginia is Tuesday, June 18, although early voting and mail-in voting are also options for voters.

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Virginia early voting info:

When is early voting for Virginia's 2024 primary?

Early voting will be available from Friday, May 3, through Saturday, June 15, at 5 p.m. at your local registrar's office. Find yours here.

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Virginia mail-in voting info:

How can I get a mail-in ballot for Virginia in 2024?

You can request a mail-in ballot online at the Virginia Department of Elections' Citizen Portal to apply to vote absentee by mail.

What's the deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot for Virginia's 2024 primary?

If you want to receive your ballot by mail, your request must be received by your local voter registration office by Friday, June 7, at 5 p.m.

General registrars generally begin to mail out absentee ballots 45 days prior to an election, according to Virginia's elections portal.

What's the deadline for casting a mail-in ballot for Virginia in 2024?

If you're dropping it off:

• You can bring your ballot to your local general registrar's office by 7 p.m. on primary day (Tuesday, June 18)
• You can place it in a drop box. For more information on drop off locations in your locality, see the absentee instructions included in your absentee ballot mailing or our list below.
• You can place your mail-in ballot in a ballot drop box. For deadlines and locations, check the instructions provided in your absentee ballot mailing.

If you want to mail your ballot:

• Your ballot must be postmarked on or before election day (June 18). It must arrive at the
• If you are returning your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked on or before primary day (Tuesday, June 18) and received by your general registrar's office by noon on the third day following the election
• Note that putting your ballot in a mailbox on primary day doesn't necessarily mean it would be postmarked that day. Send it as soon as possible due to the chance for delays

Where are the drop boxes for mail-in ballots for Virginia's 2024 primary?

Drop-off information will be provided in your absentee ballot mailing, Virginia's election officials say.

Most jurisdictions allow you to submit your ballot to voting centers during early voting or election day.

Drop box locations and hours vary by jurisdiction. You can find information on your local elections authority website:

• Alexandria: "A ballot drop box is available outside the Office of Voter Registration & Elections, until 7pm on June 18, 2024. This drop box is under video surveillance and available 24 hours a day."
• Arlington County: You can drop off your ballot at early voting locations while the site is open, any Arlington polling place on election day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 24-hour drop box locations listed on the website.
• Culpeper County: A ballot drop box will be available at 131 N. Main Street, Culpeper, VA 22701.
• Fairfax County: "Ballot drop-off boxes are available at all early voting locations and precincts when locations are open for voting. Voted ballots may be dropped off outside the Fairfax County Government Center at an attended drop box during business hours. An accessible, secure drop box is installed outside the building, permitting voters to drop off their ballots 24/7. Voted ballots may also be dropped off at any early voting site or at Suite 323 (Fairfax County Government Center) during hours of operation. On Election Day, ballots may be dropped off at any polling location while the polls are open."
• Falls Church: "The Drop Box for by-mail ballots is in front of City Hall, 300 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA 22046"
• Fauquier County: A drop box will be available at the early voting location in the Office of the General Registrar in Warrenton (528 Waterloo Road, Suite 200, Warrenton 20186). It's open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for holidays.
• Fredericksburg: "There will be no After Hours Ballot Drop Box outside 601 Caroline Street for the June 18, 2024, Primary Election. A Ballot Drop Box will be available in the Office of Voter Registration and Elections on the 5th Floor of 601 Caroline Street."
• Manassas: "A secure drop box for voters to drop off their ballots is located outside the registrar's office at 9025 Center St. in Manassas. (Manassas Voter Registration and Elections Office)"
• Manassas Park: "A secure drop box for voters to drop off their ballots is located outside the registrar's office at 9025 Center St. in Manassas. (Manassas Voter Registration and Elections Office)"
• Prince William County: "All early voting locations and Election Day polling places have drop boxes you can use."
• Loudoun County: "A 24/7 drop box is located at the Office of Elections at 750 Miller Drive, Suite 150, Leesburg, VA 20175. Drop it off no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day."
• Spotsylvania County: The ballot drop box location at the Office of Elections (4708 Southpoint Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA 22407) is monitored by security cameras, officials said.
• Stafford County: "Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes are available during early voting hours, the Registrar’s office during normal business hours through June 17th and until 7:00 PM on June 18, 2024. A drop box will be available at all polling locations on June 18, 2024 from 6 AM-7 PM."

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Virginia primary day 2024 info:

When can I vote in-person in Virginia's 2024 primary?

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18. Anyone in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote.

To vote in person on primary day, find your polling place here.

Does Virginia have same-day voter registration in 2024?

Yes, you may register in person during early voting or on primary day in Virginia. Same-day voter registration is relatively new in Virginia; it was introduced in the 2022 general election.

May 28 is the deadline to register to vote online using Virginia's Citizen Portal. After that, you'll need to go through the same-day registration process.

Same day registration is available:

• in person at the general registrar's office for your jurisdiction during early voting
• at your satellite early voting site during early voting
• at your precicnt's polling place on primary day

Do I need ID to vote in Virginia?

Yes. Virginia requires all registered voters to show an ID to vote in person.

Acceptable forms of identification include:

• Virginia driver’s license (current or expired)
• U.S. military ID
• valid U.S. passport
• valid student ID issued by a public or private high school or institution of higher education in Virginia
• valid student ID with a photo, issued by a public or private institution of higher education in the U.S
• and several more options; see the full list here

If you get to your polling place and don't have an acceptable ID, you can sign an ID confirmation statement or vote a provisional ballot. You will still need to submit a copy of your valid ID no later than Friday, June 21 at noon. If you have questions, you can contact or visit your nearest Virginia voter registration office or email info@elections.virginia.gov.

Who's on the ballot for the Virginia 2024 primary?

Go here to see candidates for congressional and local elections.

Now you've got those answers, but you should also make sure you're registered to vote and that all your details are correct.

Virginia voter registration info:

How can I register to vote in Virginia ?

First, make sure you're eligible to register to vote in Virginia (check on that here).

If you are, then you can either register in advance, register during early voting, or register to vote on primary day.

To register to vote in Virginia in advance:

• you can apply online here;
• or request a Virginia voter registration application from your local general registrar (find yours here);
• or register to vote at your local DMV office;
• or print out a voter registration form and submit it via mail, fax or email. According to that form: "Mailed applications must be postmarked at least 22 days before the next election in which you plan to vote. A
• qualified active-duty uniformed services member, spouse or dependent is NOT subject to the mailing deadline if by reason of active duty, you are normally absent from the locality in which you reside."
• or, if you're an overseas citizen, uniformed service voter, qualifying spouse or dependent, you may register online using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), available online here.

To register to vote in Virginia during early voting:

• During the early voting period (Friday, May 3 through Saturday, June 15), you are allowed to "register at the office of your general registrar or satellite location during the early voting period," according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
• Bring a valid form of ID.
• More registration info is available here.

To register to vote in Virginia on primary day:

• Go to your assigned election day polling place on primary day (Tuesday, June 18)
• Bring a valid form of ID.
• More registration info is available here.

Virginia voter registration: How can I update my name or address?

According to the Virginia elections website, if you want to make a change to your address, name or other information, you may do so by:

• Using the online registration portal
• Completing an address change notification provided by the DMV
• By using the Voter Registration Application (Español) (Tiếng Việt) (한국인)
• Sending a letter to your General Registrar

Virginia voter registration: I think I'm already registered, but how can I check?

You can check to see if you're registered to vote in Virginia online here.

Do I need to have a political party affiliation in Virginia ?

Virginia residents do not register by party. In a primary election, voters may request a ballot for either the Democratic primary or the Republican primary.