How To Vote In NoVA, DC Before Or On Nov. 3 Election

Note: This story has been updated to correct the registration date for Washington, D.C.

By RACHEL CLAIR, KAANITA IYER and JACOB ROUSSEAU, Capital News Service

With confusion looming over voting amid the coronavirus pandemic, several states have announced their plans to make it easier to vote in the upcoming general and local elections on Nov. 3.

The revamped voting process includes ballots sent via mail and accessible drop box locations for those who wish to avoid in-person voting, as well as early voting centers to ease expected delays.

Capital News Service has assembled the following guide on voter registration, voting by mail, and early and Election Day voting in Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Virginia

To help lessen the burden on voters during the pandemic, early access voting began Sept. 18 and ends on Oct. 31 at local elections offices. Voters must have an acceptable form of identification, which includes a drivers license or passport.

Virginia citizens may also vote via mail-in or absentee ballots by filling out this voter registration application. Local registrars made these ballots available to the public starting Sept. 18 and the deadline to request a ballot is 5 p.m. on Oct. 23. You may also fill out your mail-in ballot at home and return it in-person.

If you are unable to make certain voting deadlines, emergency absentee ballots can be requested from your local elections office until 2 p.m. on Nov. 2.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation on Sept. 4 to allow cities and counties to deploy ballot drop boxes. Virginia residents should consult their city or county elections offices for locations.

For more voting information, see Virginia’s Department of Elections, frequently asked questions page.

See also:

• Drop Box Available For Absentee Ballots In Fairfax City
• Drop Box Available For Absentee Ballots In Fredericksburg

District of Columbia

The District will send ballots to every registered voter via mail for the Nov. 3 general election. Residents may drop off the ballots at any of the 55 drop box locations at any time before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

In-person voting is also available in the District starting Oct. 27 at 8:30 a.m. The Board of Elections has set up 32 early vote centers, along with nearly 100 day-of vote centers that will open at 7 a.m.

The complete list of drop box locations, early vote centers and Election Day vote centers can be found here.

Residents may register to vote via email or mail by filling out this voter registration application.

All applications must be emailed by or, if by mail, received by the Board of Elections no later than Oct. 13. Same-day registration is available as well during early voting and on Election Day with acceptable forms of proof of residence.

You can also check your registration status here.

For more information, see the Board’s voter registration guide.

Related:

• Mail-In Voting In DC: Deadlines, How To Get A Ballot
• Mail-In Voting In Virginia: Deadlines, How To Get A Ballot