WASHINGTON — Virginia residents have until Monday to register or update their addresses if they want to vote in the closely watched June 12 primaries for congressional races and contests for other offices.
“Everybody who needs to change their address, or update their registration, or register for the first time, if they want to vote in the upcoming primaries … May 21 is the last day,” Fairfax County Electoral Board Secretary Kate Hanley said. “It’s important.”
Voters can check their registration status or register online or do it in person at local elections offices.
U.S. citizens who live in Virginia who will be at least 18 years old by November’s general election are eligible to register. The deadline is 5 p.m. Monday in person or 11:59 p.m. Monday online.
In Virginia, voters do not register by party. Voters choose which primary to participate in when checking in at the polls or requesting an absentee ballot.
Voters may only vote in one party’s primary each election.
While the deadline to request an absentee ballot be sent through the mail is June 5, the Virginia Department of Elections strongly urges mail-in absentee voters to request the ballot sooner, due to the time it can take for a ballot to go through the mail.
Generally, only ballots received before polls close are counted in Virginia.
Eligible voters can also cast ballots through in-person absentee voting through June 9. Voters who receive absentee mail-in ballots may also drop off ballots at voting centers in their locality.
Voters casting ballots in person, either absentee or on Election Day, are required to show photo identification in Virginia.
What’s on the ballot
The only statewide race is the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.
Prince William County Board Chairman Corey Stewart, Culpeper Del. Nick Freitas and Bishop E.W. Jackson are running for the chance to take on Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in November.
In Northern Virginia, Republicans are also holding a primary in the 10th Congressional District where Shak Hill is challenging Rep. Barbara Comstock.
On the Democratic side in or touching parts of Northern Virginia, there are primaries in the 10th, 7th and 1st Congressional Districts.
The 10th District race, with six candidates aiming to take on Comstock in November, is among the most closely watched.
The candidates are Lindsey Davis Stover, State Sen. Jennifer Wexton, Paul Pelletier, Alison Friedman, Dan Helmer and Julia Biggins.
There are also a handful of local races.
In Alexandria, where Democratic candidates typically win in November, Vice Mayor Justin Wilson is challenging Mayor Allison Silberberg for the nomination.
With just four City Council incumbents running for re-election to their seats (in addition to Wilson’s campaign for mayor, Tim Lovain is not seeking re-election), there are a total of 12 candidates running for the Democratic nomination for one of six seats. All seats on the council are at-large.
The incumbents running again in Alexandria are John Taylor Chapman, Willie Bailey, Del Pepper and Paul Smedberg. The other candidates are Amy Jackson, Mo Seifeldein, Matt Feely, Canek Aguirre, Dak Hardwick, Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Robert Ray IV and Chris Hubbard.
In Arlington, Democrats are choosing a candidate for county board — Matt de Ferranti or Chanda Choun.
