How to register to vote in Virginia

The information on this page applies to the November 3, 2020 General Election. Voting for that election has ended in all states.

Who can vote

To register in Virginia you must:

be a citizen of the United States
be a resident of Virginia and of the precinct in which you want to vote
be 18 years old (any person who is 17 years old and will be 18 years of age at the next general election shall be permitted to register in advance and also vote in any intervening primary or special election)
not have been convicted of a felony, or have had your civil rights restored
not currently be declared mentally incompetent by a court of law
*find more information on voting rights restoration here

Online voter registration

Virginia offers online voter registration.
You should know: you need a Virginia driver's license or state ID and a Social Security number to use Virginia's online voter registration system. If you don't have a Virginia-issued ID, you can still register by mail to vote.

By-mail voter registration

Use the Virginia voter registration form

You can also register to vote using the Virginia voter registration form. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and fill it out completely. Send the completed form to your local election official

Use the National Voter Registration Form

Print and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
Box 6 - ID Number: Your full Social Security number is required. Your Social Security number will appear on reports produced only for official use by voter registration and election officials and, for jury selection purposes, by courts. Article II, Sec.2, Constitution of Virginia (1971).
Box 7 - Choice of Party: Virginia does NOT require that you register with a party to participate in partisan primary elections.
Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank. This information is not required.
Review the "Who can vote?" section above and check that you're eligible.
Sign the form.
Send the completed form to your local election official
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing this registration application, Federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote or provide a copy of your ID when you submit your application. Proof of identification includes: A current and valid photo identification or A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address. More information here.

Election Day registration

Virginia does not offer registration on Election Day.

In-person voter registration

Due to COVID-19, in-person services may have limited availability. Contact your local election office to confirm. See CDC guidance on safe in-person registration and voting.

You can also register to vote in person. Contact your local election office for information on when and where to register to vote.
Learn more by visiting the Department of Elections for Virginia or contacting your local election official.

Get step-by-step help

If you’d like more help planning how to register, TurboVote can walk you through the process! They can also help you start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, send you election reminders, and more.

Military and overseas voters

Active-duty military, their families, and overseas citizens can register to vote and request their absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The FPCA process is done by mail, but your state may offer other options to request and return ballots. Please contact your election official for more information about delivery and return methods, including email, fax, and state online portals. To follow the FPCA process:

Fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), or download a copy. Your election official may have questions, so please provide an email address or phone number where they can reach you.
Send the application to your election official.
It is never too early to submit an FPCA! Please do so as soon as possible.
Please fill out and send back your ballot as soon as you receive it.
States begin mailing absentee ballots at least 45 days before Election Day. If you haven't received your ballot by 30 days before Election Day, contact your local election office.

If after submitting your FPCA, your ballot does not arrive, contact your election official first. Then:

You can still vote using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Print, sign, and mail your FWAB to your local election office.
If you mail a FWAB and then receive your regular absentee ballot, you should complete and mail your absentee ballot also. Election officials will ensure that only one ballot is counted.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program – FVAP.gov offers additional information on military and overseas voting in Virginia. You can also call 1-800-438-VOTE or email vote@fvap.gov

Check your voter registration status

You can look up your voter registration record and verify that your information is correct using Virginia's voter registration lookup tool.

Election contact information for Virginia

Address:
Department of Elections
Washington Building, 1100 Bank Street, First Floor
Richmond, VA 23219

Phone Number:
(804) 864-8901

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