Polls are open for early voting in Virginia’s primary election to select the candidates who will be on the ballot in November, when the state elects a new governor and other power-yielding leaders.
Races in the June primary include nominees for the statewide offices of attorney general and lieutenant governor. Some voters will also be nominating candidates to run for the Virginia House of Delegates.
While Democrats currently hold a majority in both chambers of the state legislature, Republicans are in control of the governor’s office, led by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. When voters cast ballots in the general election on Nov. 4, they could reshape the trifecta’s political balance.
For now, polls open for early voting in the primary on Friday.
Dates at a glance:
- In-person early voting: Friday, May 2 through Saturday, June 14
- Deadline to update registration or register: Tuesday, May 27
- Deadline to apply for mail-in ballot: Friday, June 6
- Election Day: Tuesday, June 17. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
According to the Virginia Department of Election, there are Democratic primaries in all 133 Virginia counties and cities. But only 31 will have a Republican primary.
Voting in-person
Look up your polling place online.
Voters can register or update their registration online until May 27.
Virginians can vote early at their local registrar’s office starting Friday.
And starting June 6, you’ll also have the option to cast a ballot early at voter registration offices.
Make sure to bring a valid form of identification along when you head to the polls.
If you forget your ID or miss the deadline to register, Virginia does offer same day registration, which allows voters to cast a provisional ballot. Those provisional ballots have to be approved by the local electoral board before they’re counted.
Those who are 65 years old and older or who have a disability have the option of curbside voting on the day of the primary election, June 17.
Voting absentee
Virginians who want to vote by mail need to request an absentee ballot. Those applications need to be received by your local registrar’s office by 5 p.m. on June 6.
Once you’ve filled out your ballot, you can mail it or leave it at a drop off location, which should be listed in the instructions mailed with your ballot.
To be counted, ballots sent in the mail need to be postmarked on or before June 17 and received by Friday, June 20.
More information is available on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
Who’s on the ballot?
Governor
The candidates running for Virginia governor have already been set. Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, the state’s current lieutenant governor, is running against Democrat Abigail Spanberger, who formerly represented Virginia in the U.S. House.
Attorney General
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is running for reelection. He has already been selected as the Republican nominee for the office, so the party won’t hold a primary.
The Democratic primary for attorney general has two candidates: Attorney Shannon Taylor and former Virginia State Del. Jay Jones.
Lieutenant Governor
Radio host John Reid is in line to be the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor come November.
Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity recently dropped out of the Republican primary for lieutenant governor, leaving Reid as the only candidate in the race.
However, Reid’s candidacy is now also in question. Youngkin asked Reid on Friday to drop out over allegations that he shared pornographic content online. Reid denies the accusations and has not announced any change in his plans to seek the lieutenant governor’s office.
The Democratic primary for lieutenant governor has six candidates:
- Levar Stoney, former Richmond mayor and secretary of the Commonwealth
- Babur Lateef, Prince William County School Board chairman at-large
- Aaron Rouse, Virginia state senator
- Victor Salgado, former federal prosecutor
- Ghazala Hashmi, Virginia state senator
- Alexander Bastani, attorney
Virginia House of Delegates
All 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates will be up for grabs in November, as voters elect new leaders in the lower chamber of the General Assembly.
But most incumbents aren’t facing any challengers and have already secured their nominations without a primary.
Democratic primaries
There are nine total Democratic primaries for the Virginia House of Delegates, with only one of those races taking place in Northern Virginia.
District 1 — Arlington County
Incumbent Del. Patrick Hope is running against Sean Epstein and software engineer Arjoon Srikanth in District 1, which includes part of Arlington County.
The other Democratic primaries with are in District 40, District 49, District 57, District 72, District 73, District 75 and District 89.
Republican primaries
There are eight Republican primaries for the Virginia House of Delegates, including two in Northern Virginia.
District 21 — Prince William County
Three Republicans are running with hopes of going up against incumbent Democratic Del. Josh Thomas in District 21 in November.
Gregory Gorham, Sahar Smith and Xanthe Larsen are competing in the primary.
District 62 — Culpeper County
Karen Hamilton and R. Clay Jackson are bidding for an open seat in District 62, which will represent part of Culpeper County as well as Greene County, Madison County and Orange County.
Incumbent Del. Nick Freitas did not run for reelection.
The other Republican primaries are taking place in District 37, District 46, District 49, District 70, District 89 and District 97.
Local
One Northern Virginia race to keep an eye on is the Democratic primary for the Arlington County Board. Board chairman Takis Karantonis is facing a challenge from James DeVita, a trial lawyer.
WTOP’s Nick Iannelli contributed to this report.
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