The last day for Virginia voters to request an absentee ballot be mailed to them is Friday, October 23rd. Requests are due by mail or in-person by 5 p.m. or via the secure online citizen portal by 11:59 p.m. Voters can continue to cast their ballots early in-person at a registrar’s office or satellite voting location through Saturday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. Voters can track the status of their ballot applications online at www.elections.virginia.gov/voterInformation. They can also call their local registrar’s office to determine the status of their application.

“There is so much on the line—this election will impact our community and our country for generations,” said Anna Scholl, executive director of Progress Virginia. “Virginia has moved from one of the hardest states to vote to one of the most accessible in the South. Because of the unprecedented amount of absentee voting, we urge all voters who wish to vote by mail to request and return their ballots as soon as possible. Make a plan to be a voter today.”

Absentee turnout in Virginia for the November 2020 General Election is hitting record numbers already. In addition to no-excuse early voting, the General Assembly passed legislation to create drop boxes for absentee ballots at local election offices, fund prepaid return postage for people voting by mail, and remove the necessity of a witness signature.

Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day, November 3, 2020 and received by the local voter registration office by noon on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020. Local elections offices are open for in-person voting in all localities throughout the Commonwealth through Oct. 31, 2020.

Election Protection, a national, nonpartisan coalition, provides comprehensive information and assistance at all stages of voting–from registration, to absentee and early voting, to casting a vote at the polls, to overcoming obstacles to their participation. Voters may call 1-866-OUR-VOTE if they encounter any problems exercising their right to vote.

Important Dates:

• Oct. 23: Deadline to request an absentee ballot.
• Oct. 31: Last day to vote early in-person.
• Nov. 3:  Election Day. Polls are open from 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. (if you are in line by 7 p.m. you can vote).
• Nov. 6: All mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the local registrar’s office by 12 p.m.

To verify registration status, visit voteva.us or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

For more information, visit the Virginia State Board of Elections website.