Virginia voter guide: What you need to know for the 2023 general election

Visit WTOP’s Virginia Election 2023 page for our comprehensive coverage.

Virginians will cast their ballots Tuesday in a closely-watched election that could have major implications on policy depending on which party prevails in the state’s legislature.

Control of the Virginia general assembly is on the table this November with just a handful of competitive districts potentially determining whether Republicans will have a majority in both chambers of the state legislature.

Going into Election Day, the GOP has a slim majority in the Virginia House.

In the Virginia Senate, meanwhile, Democrats hold a similarly narrow majority.

With Republican Glenn Youngkin in the governor’s mansion, Republicans are looking to win unified control — by flipping the State Senate. Democrats are looking to retake the House, which would bolster their power in Richmond.

Either outcome would have significant consequences for Virginia over the next several years.

Many voting and election questions can be answered on your local board of election’s website.

Here’s what you need to know.

Voting by mail?

The deadline to apply for a ballot to be mailed to you has already passed — it was Oct. 27.

If you have a mail-in ballot at home, you will need to return your completed ballot to your local registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. You can mail your completed ballot — it must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the registrar’s office by noon on the third day following the election.

Most counties have drop-off boxes for mail-in ballots at early voting and Election Day polling places. You can also drop off mail-in ballots at drop boxes in most counties.

Still need to register?

To be eligible to vote, you have to be 18 years old or turn 18 before Nov. 7.

The deadline to register — or to update your existing registration — was Oct. 16.

However, Virginia now offers same-day voter registration, including on Election Day. Voters who vote same-day will do so on a provisional ballot. The general registrar’s office will research your ballot in the days after the election to make sure you are eligible to vote and your local electoral board will review the ballot as well.

You can find out more information on same-day registration on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

Want to vote on Election Day?

Election Day is Nov. 7 this year, and polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you’re in line by the time polls close, you can cast your ballot.

You can figure out where your polling place is online.

Remember to bring your ID — a list of acceptable forms of identification is online.

Early voting ended on Saturday, Nov. 4

Early voting was held from Sept. 22 through Nov. 4.

You need an ID to vote in person. You can find out which ones will work for you on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

Who’s on the ballot?

Every seat in the Virginia general assembly is up for grabs. That means all 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates and all 40 seats in the Virginia Senate are on the ballot

There are also several local county races Virginia voters will find on their ballots.

In Arlington, voters are selecting two seats for the Arlington County Board and weighing in on a school board seat. In Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, there are consequential Board of Supervisors races and school board contests voters will weigh in on.

In Loudoun County, Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj, a Democrat, faces Republican Bob Anderson, who held the post of top prosecutor more than 20 years ago.

You can find sample ballots on your local board of election’s website.

Are any local races competitive?

There are a few races to watch as the parties battle it out for control of the general assembly.

There are two competitive districts in Virginia’s Senate and three in the House of Delegates but several of those races aren’t in Northern Virginia, according to CNalysis.

Parts of Loudoun and Fauquier counties make up Senate District 31, where there’s a vacant seat with no incumbent running. Republican Juan Segura is running against Democrat Russet Perry in what the Virginia Public Access Project calls a competitive race.

In western Prince William County, there’s no incumbent running for House District 21’s open seat. Democrat Josh Thomas is running against Republican John Stirrup.

Stirrup is familiar to some District 21 voters. He represented the Gainesville District on the Board of County Supervisors from 2003 to 2011. He took a break from politics after losing a bid for public office in 2011. Stirrup said he is running again because he’s concerned about the direction of the country, InsideNoVa reports.

Thomas is an attorney and former Marine Corps officer who’s campaigning on issues, such as the cost of housing and funding schools.

WTOP’s Jack Moore contributed to this report.