General Election 2018: Absentee Voting Opens In Fairfax County

RESTON, VA — Absentee voting for Virginia's 2018 general election opens on Friday. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Absentee voting is an alternative to voting on Election Day for those unable to make it to the polls. A Virginia resident can cast an absentee ballot if he or she is:

• A student attending college or university outside of locality of residence in Virginia
• A spouse of student attending college or university outside locality of residence in Virginia
• Have personal business, work or vacation outside the county of residence on Election Day
• Working and commuting for 11 or more hours, between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., on Election Day
• A "first responder" (firefighter, law enforcement, emergency medical technician, search and rescue)
• Have a disability or illness
• A caregiver for a family member confined at home.
• Pregnant
• Confined (awaiting trial or convicted of a misdemeanor)
• An electoral board member, registrar, officer of election, or custodian of voting equipment
• Attending a religious obligation
• Active Duty Merchant Marine or Armed Forces
• Spouse or dependent living with a member of Active Duty Merchant Marine or Armed Forces
• Temporarily residing outside of US
• Temporarily residing outside of US for employment or spouse or dependent residing with employee
• An authorized representative of candidate or party serving inside the polling place
• Granted a protective order issued by or under the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction

We've rounded up information on the ways to vote absentee and how voters can prepare to vote on Election Day in Fairfax County.

How to vote absentee

Absentee voting is available in-person and by mail. Beginning Friday, voters can cast absentee ballots at the Fairfax County Government Center's Office of Elections, Conference Rooms 2/3 (12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax). Nine additional absentee voting locations will be available on Saturday, Oct. 13:

• Franconia Governmental Center
• Lorton Library
• Mason Governmental Center
• McLean Governmental Center
• Mount Vernon Governmental Center
• North County Governmental Center
• Providence Community Center
• Sully Governmental Center
• West Springfield Governmental Center

Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/absentee for voting hours. The deadline for in-person absentee voting is 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3.

A photo ID is required to vote absentee in person. Voters who do not have the proper ID can apply and receive a temporary ID when casting their in-person absentee ballot at the voter registration office.

To vote by mail, residents must submit an application to have an absentee ballot mailed to them by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30. The Office of Elections must receive applications by this time. Photo ID is not required for this type of absentee voting.

To submit an application online, visit vote.elections.virginia.gov. Applications can also be downloaded here or picked up at county governmental centers and Fairfax County library branches. If you're completing a physical copy, you can scan and email the application to absenteeballot@fairfaxcounty.gov, mail to the Office of Elections at "PO Box 10161, Fairfax, VA 22038," or fax the application to the Office of Elections at 703-324-3725.

Ballots are mailed within three business days. Voters can return a completed ballot by mail or in-person to the Office of Elections. The deadline to return the completed absentee ballot is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Preparing for Election Day

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. A proper form of photo ID is required to vote.

The voter registration deadline for the 2018 general election is Oct. 15. Virginia residents who are U.S. citizens and at least 18 by Nov. 6 are eligible to register. The easiest way to register is online at vote.elections.virginia.gov.

Voters can also download the Virginia voter registration application and mail to "Fairfax County Office of Elections, P.O. Box 10161, Fairfax, VA 22038-8061."

The third option is registering to vote in person at the at the Fairfax County Office of Elections on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Thursday, 8 a.m-7 p.m.

The general election includes races for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, as well as a Fairfax County bond question and two proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution.

View sample ballots at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/upcoming. Find your polling place at vote.elections.virginia.gov.

By Emily Leayman

Image via Emily Leayman/Patch