Election Day in Virginia: A look at key races and how to cast your ballot

Virginia's closely watched legislative campaign cycle closes out Tuesday, as voters decide whether to empower Republicans with full state government control or let Democrats keep serving as a bulwark against Gov. Glenn Youngkin's agenda.

The outcome in Virginia — among just four states with legislative elections this year — will be closely scrutinized nationwide for hints of what may come in the 2024 presidential cycle. All 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates and 40 seats in the Virginia Senate are up for election this November.

The contests are "the most important elections in America because these issues that are so important to Virginians are also the ones that are going to be so important to Americans next year,” Youngkin said Sunday on ABC's “This Week."

• Republicans, with a narrow 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates, hope to gain full control of the state legislature and clear a path for the governor to enact his proposals on abortion, education, taxes and other key policy priorities.
• Democrats, currently holding a slim 22-17 majority in the state Senate, seek to maintain control of one chamber and possibly flip the other to serve as a check against Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's agenda.

As a steady stream of voters arrived at a polling place in Ashburn on Tuesday morning, the governor touted Virginia’s job growth and how the GOP swept statewide constitutional offices in 2021.

“This is what I was asked to do, this is what I ran on, this is what we’ve delivered. And I think voters are going to come around today and extend our license to lead,” Youngkin said. "We've had a really good two years, but I think we can have a fantastic next two years."

Youngkin had arrived at Newton-Lee Elementary School with Republican Juan Pablo Segura, who is running against Democrat Russet Perry in the District 31 race. It’s become the most expensive race in the state this cycle, according to Open Secrets, which tracks campaign finance.

"Get out and vote if you haven't voted already. This race is the most competitive race in the entire state. Every vote matters. Every vote counts. Please get out and vote. Protect your right to choose," Perry told News4 Tuesday morning.

Loudoun County residents who came out early to Newton-Lee Elementary to vote cited a range of issues as their main reasons for voting.

"I'm a special education teacher. Things are in dire straights right now. We have open positions still, I feel that's ongoing, and they're the most - the neediest population and I feel it's not the most focused on," one woman told News4.

"Would love to see some new folks get an opportunity and, hopefully, have a better experience moving forward," another voter said.

"I come for the local issues, I truly do. People that I think will do the best for the schools and the county and the government and the country," a third voter said.

Youngkin said the top concerns he hears from voters are inflation and the cost of living; education; public safety; the opioid crisis and abortion. At the polling place, he reiterated his pledge to try again for an abortion ban after 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and situations where the mother's life is at risk.

Leading up to Election Day, the governor headlined his party's campaign events. He appeared with candidates in competitive districts statewide as part of a bus tour promoting an early voting initiative aimed at reversing years of GOP mistrust in the policy.

Democrats brought in surrogates including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, gun control activist David Hogg — a Florida high school mass shooting survivor — and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who joined Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas for a Northern Virginia appearance.

President Joe Biden, who won Virginia in 2020 by 10 percentage points and campaigned against Youngkin here in 2021, did not appear in person but signed off on a fundraising email and endorsements.

Republicans are hoping their candidates benefit from the Democratic president's persistently poor approval ratings, which are lower than Youngkin's.

• Follow along with national results with NBC News’ Election Day live updates here.

Abortion rights hotly contested

While all 140 General Assembly seats are on the ballot in a costly and competitive election year, the balance of power, currently divided, will likely be decided in about a dozen districts in Hampton Roads, suburban Richmond and Northern Virginia.

Candidates have been making their case to voters on the economy, the environment, public safety and schools, but no issue has been more hotly contested than abortion in the last state in the South without new restrictions since the end of Roe v. Wade.

Roughly 800,000 Virginians voted early. Some early voters said abortion rights topped their concerns.

James Burkhardt, 37, a software engineer from Henrico County outside Richmond, waited in a long line Friday to cast his ballot. He supported two Democrats who emphasized protecting abortion access — Del. Rodney Willett, who is seeking reelection to the House against Republican Riley Shaia, and Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg, who is vying for a state Senate seat.

VanValkenburg’s opponent, Republican Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, is an OB-GYN who said she supports access to abortion through 15 weeks and afterward only in cases of rape, incest, severe fetal anomalies, and to save the mother’s life.

Burkhardt said he could not understand Dunnavant’s support for putting new limits on abortion access, given her career.

“It blows my mind that she could vote against women’s right to choose at any stage of their pregnancy what’s right for them,” he said.

Other voters said Youngkin had landed on a reasonable position.

Retiree Scott McKenzie, 78, voted early for Republicans in Virginia Beach. He said he's comfortable with a 15-week ban and supports some of the same exceptions as Youngkin.

“On the one hand, I support right for life. But on the other hand, there’s times when a young lady maybe did not have a choice," he said.

What are the major races in the 2023 Virginia election?

In Virginia’s Washington exurbs, a tight Senate race between Democratic Marine veteran Joel Griffin and GOP Del. Tara Durant also features Monica Gary, a wild-card independent candidate with a history of electoral success.

In suburban Richmond, Democrat Susanna Gibson — who proceeded with her campaign after news broke that she had performed sex acts with her husband in live videos posted on a pornographic website — aims to prevail over Republican David Owen even after some party support wilted away following the controversy.

Other competitive House races are playing out in Hampton Roads, the exurban D.C. Interstate 95 corridor and one district south of Richmond.

Republicans generally see a tougher path to flipping the Senate than holding the House under the new maps all legislative candidates are running under for the first time this year. During this year's session, Republicans held a slim House majority, while Democrats narrowly controlled the Senate.

Also on the ballot are local school board and prosecutor races around the state, and a referendum in Richmond on whether to authorize a proposed casino.

Voters chose the candidates during the primary back in June, although some races on the ballot this November are uncontested.

If the issues being discussed this year are getting you invested in local elections you normally skip on your ballot, check out our guide to getting up-to-speed fast.

Check below for positions outside the state House and Senate up for election this fall, by county and city.

City of Alexandria: No local elections in 2023; only members of the Virginia General Assembly.

City of Fairfax: Court clerk, commonwealth's attorney and sheriff.

City of Falls Church: Court clerk, commonwealth's attorney, a school board seat and a city council seat.

Arlington County: Court clerk, commonwealth's attorney, sheriff, commissioner of revenue, treasurer, a county board seat and a school board seat.

Fairfax County: Court clerk, commonwealth's attorney, sheriff, county supervisor positions and school board seats. Go here to learn about one school board candidate who was requalified for the ballot after a typo caused issues.

Loudoun County: Court clerk, commonwealth's attorney, sheriff, commissioner of revenue, treasurer, county supervisor positions, school board members and the soil and water conservation director. There are also ballot measures related to school district construction projects, parks and recreation projects, and transportation projects.

Prince William County: Court clerk, commonwealth's attorney, sheriff, county supervisor positions, school board seats and the soil and water conservation director. That's in addition to at least one noteworthy state Senate race.

How to vote on Election Day in Virginia

Election day in 2023 is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Here's the basic information voters need to know:

• Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. As long as you are in line to vote by 7 p.m. on Election Day, you'll be able to vote.
• Bring an acceptable form of ID to speed up the process; however, there are options if you don't have an ID.
• If you didn't register before the Oct. 16 deadline – or need to update information such as your address – you can still vote! Voters who register on Election Day can cast a provisional ballot.

More details on registrations and voter ID are below.

If you applied for an absentee ballot by mail, fax or online before the Oct. 27 deadline, and filled it out but still haven't mailed that official envelope back, you also have options on Election Day.

The first day of early, in-person voting began on Sept. 22 and ended on Saturday, Nov. 4, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.

Is my voter registration valid? What if I didn't register to vote?

All registered voters in Virginia are eligible to vote in Tuesday’s general election.

You can check your voter registration status here.

The deadline to register for a regular ballot was Oct. 16.

If you didn't register before the deadline, same-day voter registration is available at your polling place.

Anyone who registered after the deadline will be given a provisional ballot, and eligibility will be determined by elections officials after Election Day. Provisional ballots are evaluated when all other votes are counted. If a voter is indeed eligible to vote, their provisional ballot is included in the tally.

If you moved but didn't change your address before the voter registration deadline, you can make changes at your polling place. You may be able to "cast a non-provisional ballot, rather than the provisional ballot used for same day registration," Virginia's elections website says. Here's more information.

Where do I vote in Virginia? Can I see a sample ballot?

It's a good idea to double-check which candidates are running in your district and where your voting location is – Virginia redrew its election districts after the 2020 census.

Once you're registered to vote, the easiest way to find your polling place — and see what candidates are on the ballot for your district — is to visit this Virginia Department of Elections website.

You can type in your Virginia address to see your Election Day voting site.

The same search results include a tab with a preview of candidates on the ballot in your district. Click "Ballot Info" to see the names of candidates running for each position up for election.

Do I need an ID to vote in Virginia?

Voters must show an ID at the polls, sign an ID Confirmation Statement or cast a provisional ballot.

Acceptable forms of ID include:

• A Virginia driver’s license or a DMV-issued ID card (either current or expired)
• A valid work or student ID that has a photo
• A passport

Here's the full list of acceptable IDs in English. The list is also available in Español, 한국인 and Tiếng Việt.

If you don't have a valid ID or forget to bring it, you have two options. Here's what the Virginia Department of Elections says:

• If you get to your polling place without acceptable ID, you can sign an ID statement affirming your identity, you will be able to vote a regular ballot.
• If you do not sign an ID statement to affirm your identity you may vote a provisional ballot. You will be provided instructions to ensure your vote will count.

You can learn more about provisional ballots here.

I still have my absentee ballot. How do I submit it?

Did you forget to mail your ballot ahead of time? If you're worried about your absentee ballot arriving in time by the mail, you can drop it off in person on Election Day.

You can drop off your ballot at a location in your locality before the polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day, and your vote will be counted.

Check your absentee ballot for exact details on the drop-off location. Your local general registrar's office will be among the options. Many areas, including Arlington, Fairfax County and Loudoun County, let you drop your absentee ballot off at any polling place within the locality between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Election Day.

According to the Virginia Department of Elections, your local general registrar needs your ballot by no later than 12 p.m. on the third day after Election Day. It doesn't matter if your ballot is postmarked before the deadline if it still arrives late.

If you request an absentee ballot and then decide to vote in-person instead, you'll need to turn in your blank absentee ballot at the polling place. If you don't, you'll need to fill out a provisional ballot instead.

Curbside voting and accessible voting

"If you are 65 or older, or have a disability, you may vote on Election Day without leaving your vehicle," the Virginia Department of Elections says.

To use curbside voting, park in the designated parking spot at your polling place. You are allowed to bring someone to help you or go inside and tell officials you're ready to vote curbside.

Here's more information on accessible voting.

What if I see a problem at the polls?

The News4 I-Team will be monitoring any issues that might pop up at the polls in Virginia. If you see something they should be checking out, contact the team at 202-885-4444 or tips@news4iteam.com.

If you have a complaint related to your voting experience, you can file an informal or formal complaint with the Virginia Department of Elections. Here's more information.

Follow our Decision 2023 coverage