Voting Information

 

Need to know if you are registed vote?

 

You can check your voter registration status at www.elections.virginia.gov to see if you need to register to vote or to update your registration.

When to re-register

Your registration is permanent unless you move or change your name.

Voter Registration and Change of Address

Voter Registration is available in the Office of the General Registrar for the City of Richmond, Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Office of the General Registrar is located in room 105, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

If you are already registered but have moved or changed your name, then you need to update your registration. You may become ineligible to vote if you move and do not update your registration – even if you are registered. The deadline to update your registration is the same as that for registering to vote.

Ways to Register to Vote

There are several ways to register to vote or update your voter registration:

  • Voters who have a valid Virginia driver's license or a DMV issued ID can now register to vote or update their voter registration directly online at www.elections.virginia.gov. No paper involved!
     
  • Information and registration forms for persons living overseas or in the military are available at www.fvap.gov.
     
  • Mail in applications are available at www.elections.virginia.gov, as well as all City libraries and post offices. DMV and other agencies also have paper applications. A full listing of agencies that have paper applications is available at www.elections.virginia.gov.
     
  • In person at any General Registrar’s office. The Office of the General Registrar is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays for this purpose. We are located in room 105 of City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Where do I vote? 

Voting is a fundamental right to have your voice heard and to be a part of our democracy. It’s important that you play a role in whom we place in office to represent us as a people. 

On Election Day, you will cast your ballot in a polling place, usually in a public building near your home, which serves as a polling place.

Link to your polling location:

ttp://www.richmondgov.com/Registrar/documents/PollingPlaces-07-2019.pdf

 

Apply for an Absentee Ballot

 

APPLY IN-PERSON

Before visiting your local registrar’s office, check your registration status or call your registrar’s office (phone numbers available on Virginia voter registration application). Also review the application to insure you have all of the information necessary to complete the process. If you are not already registered, you will have to wait five days after registration before you can be issued an absentee ballot (exception for military and overseas voters only). If you have a Virginia DMV license or ID card, you can register online using our OAB application.

Within 45 days prior to the election in which you wish to vote, visit your local registrar’s office to vote absentee in-person.

At the registrar’s office, fill out an Absentee Application. You must show an acceptable form of photo ID. To view a complete list of acceptable IDs, please visit our Voting In-Person page.

After completing the application, you will be allowed to vote absentee in-person using a voting machine in the registrar’s office. Accessible equipment and/or curbside voting is available upon request.

 

APPLY BY MAIL, FAX OR EMAIL

Download and complete the Absentee Ballot Application form (En Español) (Tiếng Việt) (한 국어)

Return the completed and signed form to your local registrar’s office by mail, fax or scanned attachment to an email. Contact information for your local general registrar’s office is available using our online lookup tool.

After the registrar processes your application, you will receive your ballot in the mail.

Carefully review the instructions to complete and return your ballot to your local registrar by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

If you have a Virginia DMV license or ID card, you can register online using our OAB application.

In state elections only some first-time voters who registered by mail may vote absentee by mail only if the reason code is 1A, 2A, 2C, 3A, 3B, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, or 7A, or the voter is 65 or older and qualifies under another reason (reason codes listed below). For federal elections see section titled " **Special Federal ID Requirements for Certain First Time Absentee By Mail Voters."

 

COMPLETING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION

COMPLETE IN-PERSON

An application completed in person can be made up to three days before the election in which the applicant wishes to vote and completed in the office of the local registrar. The applicant signs the application in the presence of a registrar or the secretary of the electoral board. Some large localities offer satellite locations for in-person absentee voting. Check with your local registrar for locations and times.

An applicant generally cannot both register to vote in person and vote absentee in person at the same time. If you register to vote in person, your absentee ballot cannot be issued until five days after you are registered. The only exception is absent military and overseas voters eligible under a federal law.

Registered voters who vote absentee in person are subject to the same rules that apply to voting at the polls. If acceptable identification is not provided, a provisional ballot will be offered and the voter is allowed until the following Friday by noon after the election to provide a copy of acceptable identification to the electoral board. Provisional voters receive a notice to remind them of the deadline and right to attend the electoral board meeting.

 

COMPLETE BY MAIL, FAX OR EMAIL

Applications can be sent by mail to the office of the local registrar. The signed and completed application must be received by the local registrar located in the city or county that you are registered to vote by 5:00 p.m. eastern standard time on the Tuesday prior to the election in which the applicant wishes to vote. A completed and signed application can also be transmitted electronically by fax or as scanned attachment to an email. Contact information for your local general registrar’s office is available using our online lookup tool.

In state elections only some first-time voters, including one under age 65 caring for a family member confined by illness, cannot vote absentee by mail. First-time voters who registered by mail may vote absentee by mail only if the reason code is 1A, 2A, 2C, 3A, 3B, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, or 7A, or the voter is 65 or older and qualifies under another reason (reason codes listed below). Check with your registrar to confirm absentee by mail eligibility. If your absentee ballot never arrives or there is not enough time to make another request, you can vote curbside on or before Election Day if you have a physical disability or are over age 65. For federal elections see section titled " **Special Federal ID Requirements for Certain First Time Absentee By Mail Voters."

For persons who registered to vote in Virginia by mail, federal law requires them to show identification (ID) when voting for the first time in a federal election if they did not send a copy of one of these IDs with their voter registration applications. Recent legislation has eliminated the differences in acceptable identification for in-person voting. Therefore, the special federal ID requirements only apply to certain absentee voters by mail who will be notified by a notice explaining the requirements sent with their absentee ballot. Voters who receive a notice about this special requirements need to include a copy of any of the following types of ID with the voted ballot:

A current and valid photo ID (for example a driver’s license);

or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck that shows name and address;

or another government document that shows name and address (for example a voter card). If the voter returns an absentee ballot by mail without a copy of one of these forms of ID, the absentee ballot will be treated as a provisional ballot and counted only if the voter provides a copy of ID to the electoral board by the deadline applicable to all voters.

If the voter returns an absentee ballot by mail without a copy of one of these forms of ID, the absentee ballot will be treated as a provisional ballot and counted only if the voter provides a copy of ID to the electoral board by the deadline applicable to all voters.

 

REASON CODES FOR VOTING ABSENTEE

  CodeReasonSupporting Information Required

  • 1A Student attending college or university outside of locality of residence in VirginiaName of college or university
  • 1B Spouse of student attending college or university outside locality of residence in VirginiaName of college or university
  • 1C Business outside County/City of residence on Election DayName of employer or business
  • 1D Personal business or vacation outside County/City of residence on Election DayPlace of travel (VA county/city or state or country)
  • 1E I am working and commuting to/from home for 11 or more hours between 6:00 AM and 7:00 PM on Election DayName of  employer or business and Election Day hours of working and commuting (AM to PM)
  • 1F I am a first responder (member of law enforcement, fire fighter, emergency technician, search and rescue)Not required
  • 2A My disability or illnessNot required
  • 2B I am primarily and personally responsible for the care of a disabled/ill family member confined at homeFamily Relationship
  • 2C My pregnancyNot required
  • 3A Confined, awaiting trialName of institution
  • 3B Confined, convicted of a misdemeanorName of institution
  • 4A An electoral board member, registrar, officer of election, or custodian of voting equipmentNot required
  • 5A I have a religious obligationNot required
  • 6A Active Duty Merchant Marine or Armed ForcesBranch of service
  • 6B Spouse or dependent living with a member of 6ABranch of service
  • 6C Temporarily residing outside of USEnter your last date of residency at your Virginia voting residence only if you have given up that address permanently or have no intent to return
  • 6D Temporarily residing outside of US for employment or spouse or dependent residing with employeeName of business or employer
  • 7A Requesting a ballot for presidential and vice-presidential electors only(Ballots for other offices/issues will not be sent)New state of residence and date moved from Virginia. Only eligible if you moved less than 30 days before the presidential election.
  • 8A Authorized representative of candidate or party serving inside the polling placeNot required
  • 9A Granted a protective order issued by or under the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction.Name of the county or city in Virginia or the state of the issuing court.

 

EMERGENCY ABSENTEE VOTING

There are two basic types of emergency absentee voting with different procedures for each:
1. Incapacity with Designated Representative (Va. Code § 24.2-705)

ELIGIBILITY

Voter became ill or incapacitated on or after the 7th day preceding the election

Voter became hospitalized on or after the 14th day preceding the election, but still in hospital and condition has made unable to request an absentee ballot earlier than the 7th day before an election

Bereaved by the death of a spouse, child, or parent

Other comparably incapacitating emergency found by the General Registrar to justify providing an emergency ballot application.

VOTER REQUIREMENTS

Designated representative may request the application from the general registrar before 2:00 p.m. on the day before the election

Completed application must be delivered back to the local registrar’s office by 5:00 p.m. the day before the election

Voted ballot must be returned before polls close on Election Day (exception allows designated representative to return the voted ballot)

2. Voter Plans Change After Noon Saturday (Va. Code § 24.2-705.1)

ELIGIBILITY

Late assignment of an Election Officer

Required emergency travel for business, or for hospitalization or death in immediate family as defined by § 24.2-705.1

VOTER REQUIREMENTS

Apply and vote in person by 2:00 p.m. on the day preceding the election

Emergency Absentee Ballot Application – Travel (.doc)

Emergency Absentee Ballot Application – Hospitalized or Otherwise Incapacitated Voter (.doc)