Virginia

Registered voters in Virginia must confirm their identity when they vote in person.

If you are a registered voter but do not present an acceptable ID at the polling place, you can vote a regular ballot by signing an ID Confirmation Statement affirming your identity.

Otherwise, you may cast a provisional ballot. If you vote a provisional ballot due to lack of ID, the ballot will be marked ID-ONLY.

In order for your ballot to be counted, a copy of your ID or signed ID Confirmation Statement must be delivered (via fax, email, in-person submission, or through USPS or commercial delivery service) to the electoral board by noon on the Friday following the election.

Get in touch with VoteRiders if you have questions or need free help securing ID.

You do not need a REAL ID to vote in Virginia.

Your driver’s license or state ID card will show a star in the upper corner if it meets REAL ID requirements under federal law.

If you need to renew your state photo ID or driver’s license (or apply for a new one) you must go through the REAL ID process.

• Virginia REAL ID info

• Virginia REAL ID FAQ

Get in touch with VoteRiders if you have questions or need free help getting ID.

No. You must provide a physical form of ID to vote, and an image or photocopy of ID displayed on your electronic device is not allowed.

If you do not have an acceptable ID, you can still vote a regular ballot by signing an ID statement confirming your identity.

Any registered Virginia voter can vote absentee, no excuse is required.

BUT:  If you mailed your voter registration application AND this is your first time voting in your city or county – you have to vote in person unless you have a qualifying exemption. 

Exemptions include:

• You a student attending college/university outside of my city/county of residence in Virginia.
• You have a disability or illness that prevents me from voting in person.
• You are pregnant.
• You are confined either awaiting trial or convicted of a misdemeanor.
• You are active-duty merchant marine or in the armed forces, or the spouse or dependent of an active duty member.
• You are temporarily residing outside of the United States for a non-employment related reason. (Voter Registration Office: review VA Code § 24.2-453)
• You are temporarily residing outside of the United States for employment or a spouse or dependent living with a person temporarily residing outside of the United States for employment) 
•  I have moved to another state less than 30 days before a presidential election and am requesting a ballot for the presidential and vice-presidential electors only (ballots for other offices/issues will not be sent).
• I am 65 years of age or older.

In any case: If you vote by mail, your votes for the US President, US Senate, or US House of Representatives will be counted.

You do not need to provide ID when you vote by mail in Virginia.

Learn more about federal ID requirements for first-time voters.

No, but:

• the signature on your absentee ballot envelope must match the signature on your voter registration application

AND

• a witness must watch you sign your ballot and then must sign the document and envelope that is used to return the ballot.

For any absentee ballot received by the Friday immediately before election day, if the general registrar finds that the required voter affirmation was not correctly or completely filled out, or that a procedure required by law for marking and returning ballots was not properly followed, the registrar must (1) notify you within three days in writing or by email of the error and (2) provide information to you on how to correct the issue so that your ballot may be counted. You are entitled to make the necessary corrections before noon on the third day after the election if you are found to be entitled to vote.