It may still feel like summer outside, but in every real way the November elections are about to begin. Here’s a comprehensive Northern Virginia election guide with everything you need to know.
Key Dates
Election Day is November 3, but you have many opportunities to vote before then, both in person and by mail.
September 18 is the first day you can cast a ballot in person. You can do that at your local voter registration office or satellite voting location, which you can find on the Virginia Department of Elections page. Voting is open the same hours as the elections office is open, generally until 5 p.m. weekdays. They are open, however, the last two Saturdays and Sundays before election day: October 18, 24, 25, and 31.
October 23 is a big one: It’s the last day to register to vote if you aren’t already signed up. You can go to your local elections office to do that, or go online at the DOE. And if you’re already registered, it can’t hurt to check your status at the Department of Elections’ citizen portal. After this date, you can still register in person through election day, but you have to vote with a provisional ballot and finish the registration before your vote is counted.
It’s also the last day to change the address on your registration (that’s also on the portal linked above) and the last day to request a mail-in ballot. You can find out how to do that, including online, at the DOE’s mail ballots page.
October 31, the Saturday before election day, is the day early voting ends.
Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on November 3. The DOE has the list of official polling places.
Also, know that whether you’re voting early or on election day, you’ll need ID or else you’ll have to sign a statement or cast a provisional ballot. Common forms of ID are a driver’s license (active or expired), a student ID, a passport, or an employer ID. The VDOE has the full list.
What’s on the Ballot?
All Virginia voters will be able to make their pick for one of the commonwealth’s two seats in the U.S. Senate. Incumbent Democrat Mark Warner is being challenged by Republican Bert Mizusawa.
Three proposed constitutional amendments will also be on the ballot.
The first enshrines reproductive choice in the commonwealth with only certain limited exceptions. The second lifts the state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage (it’s already unenforceable because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell decision, but the amendment would keep same-sex marriage legal even if the high court overturned itself). The third restores voting rights to those convicted of felonies automatically when they’re released from incarceration. Right now, they have to petition to the governor to have their rights restored.
You can read the explanations and the precise text of the first, second, and third constitutional questions on the Virginia Department of Elections site.
Virginia’s seats in the U.S. House are also up for grabs, as well as some local races and bond issues.
Alexandria
In addition to the Senate race and the constitutional amendments, the 8th U.S. House District race is between Democratic incumbent Don Beyer and challengers Tony Sabio (Republican), Shelly Arnoldi (Libertarian), and Tim Sharman (independent).
Find your early voting locations and hours on the Alexandria elections page.
Arlington County
Statewide and Federal
You’ll be voting in the U.S. Senate race and on the constitutional questions, as well as the 8th Congressional District race (Beyer and challengers Sabio, Arnoldi, and Sharman).
Local
You’ll also vote in a special election to finish the term of Treasurer Carla de la Pava, who retired in July. Kim Rucker, who has been filling in, faces Aasim Rawoot. There will be a regular election for a full term in November of next year.
One seat on the school board is up for grabs: Incumbent Bethany Zecher Sutton is challenged by James “Vell” Rives IV. And on the county board, incumbent chair Matt de Ferranti is up against Audrey Clement and David Sisson. That’s a ranked-choice election; the Board of Elections has the details on how that works.
You’ve also got bond questions to consider; the Arlington County government site has more on them.
Find your early voting locations and hours on the Arlington County elections page.
Fairfax City
Statewide and Federal
In addition to the Senate race and the constitutional questions, you’ll have the chance to vote in the 11th Congressional District race between Democratic incumbent James Walkinshaw, Republican Arthur Purves and the Green Party’s Dianne Blais.
Local Races
Incumbent Mayor Catherine Read dropped out of the race, so it’s down to independents Kirsten Lockhart and Thomas Peterson.
There are 11 candidates running for six spots on the city council: Stephen Kim, Stacy Hall, Rachel McQuillen, Anthony Amos, Sandi W. Slappey Brown, Kelly O’Brien, Russell Jones, Susan Hartley Kuiler, María José Padmore, Steve Chang, and Jessica Lough.
Five candidates are running for five spots on the school board.
Fairfax County
Statewide and Federal
In addition to the U.S. Senate race and the constitutional amendments, depending on where you live you’ll be voting in the 8th Congressional District race (Beyer and challengers Sabio, Arnoldi, and Sharman); the 10th District race between incumbent Democrat Suhas Subramanyam, Republican Dave Beckwith, and independents Ahsen Malik, Steven Goforth, and Omar Morsy (the latter two of whom are running write-in campaigns); or the 11th District race between Walkinshaw, Purves, and Blais.
You can find the map with your district on the Fairfax County Office of Elections site.
Local Races
In Herndon, Keven LeBlanc is running unopposed for mayor.
Twelve candidates — Sabrina Bruce, Josif Ezekilov, incumbent Cesar Del Aguila, Doug Mejia, incumbent Kelvin Garcia, Soniya Shafiq, Meron Yohannes, Vice Mayor Clark Hedrick, incumbent Michael Lloyd, Justin Britt, incumbent Alexis Reyes, and Stevan Michael Porter — are running for the six spots on the Town Council.
You can find where and when to vote early on the county’s Office of Elections site.
Fauquier County
Statewide and Federal
You’ve got the U.S. Senate race, the constitutional questions, and the 10th District U.S. House race (incumbent Subramanyam, Republican Beckwith, and independents Malik, Goforth, and Morsy, the latter two of whom are running write-in campaigns).
Local Races
Devada Allison is running unopposed for mayor of Remington. Six candidates are running for six at-large seats on the Town Council.
Three candidates — Renard Carlos, David McGuire, and Darine Barbour — are running for mayor of Warrenton, while two candidates are running for two at-large Town Council seats.
Three candidates are running for three seats on the Town Council of The Plains.
Find your early voting and drop box locations on the registrar’s page, and your election day polling place here.
Loudoun County
Statewide and Federal Races
In addition to the U.S. Senate race and the constitutional questions, you’ll be voting in the 10th District U.S. House race (incumbent Subramanyam, Republican Beckwith, and independents Malik, Goforth, and Morsy, the latter two of whom are running write-in campaigns).
Local Races
Christopher Hornbaker and Christina Grace are running for mayor of Lovettsville. Paul Richard Pico, Jared McCrory, Megan Cox, and Rob Hill are running for three spots on the Town Council.
In Purcellville, Erin Rayner and Christopher Bertaut are running for mayor. Six candidates — Mitch Seipt, Paul McCray, Kevin Wright, Greg Paris, H. Sam Brown Jr., and Hank Speckhardt — are running for five seats on the Town Council.
Find your early voting locations and drop boxes, and your Election Day polling places, on the Office of Elections site.
Manassas City
Statewide and Federal
In addition to the U.S. Senate race and the constitutional questions, you’ll be voting in the 10th District U.S. House race (incumbent Subramanyam, Republican Beckwith, and independents Malik, Goforth, and Morsy, the latter two of whom are running write-in campaigns).
There’s also a special election for the District 20 House of Delegates seat between Democrat Sonia Vasquez Luna and Republican Nate Fritzen.
Local Races
Seven candidates — Republican incumbent Theresa Coates Ellis; Democrats Dianne Lane, Jill Spall, and Helen Anne Zurita; and independents Doc Brown, Lynn Forkell Greene, and Colin Turner — are running for three seats on the City Council.
Six candidates — incumbents Sara Brescia and Lisa Anne Stevens, and challengers Murina Dove, Marcus Still, Raul Campoverde Lindao, and Javanese M. Hailey — are running for three seats on the school board.
Find out where and when you can vote on the Manassas City Office of Elections site.
Manassas Park City
Statewide and Federal
You’ve got the U.S. Senate race and the constitutional questions, and you also will be voting in the 10th District U.S. House race (incumbent Subramanyam, Republican Beckwith, and independents Malik, Goforth, and Morsy, the latter two of whom are running write-in campaigns).
You’ve also got ballots to cast in the District 20 House of Delegates special election between Democrat Sonia Vasquez Luna and Republican Nate Fritzen, and there are three candidates for three seats on the City Council.
You can find the early voting locations and hours on the Registrar’s page.
Prince William County
Statewide and Federal
You’ll be casting votes for the U.S. Senate race and the constitutional amendments.
In Dumfries, Occoquan, and Quantico, you’ll be voting in the 7th District U.S. House race, with Democratic incumbent Eugene Vindman facing challenges from Republican Doug Ollivant, Libertarian Taner Demirci Lopez, and independents Alaha Ahrar, Joshua Ertle, and Randall Terry.
In Haymarket, you’ll vote in the 10th District U.S. House race (incumbent Subramanyam, Republican Beckwith, and independents Malik, Goforth, and Morsy, the latter two of whom are running write-in campaigns).
Voters in just a few precincts will also be casting ballots in the District 20 House of Delegates special election between Democrat Sonia Vasquez Luna and Republican Nate Fritzen.
Local Races
Incumbent Derrick Wood is facing a challenge from Brian Fields for mayor of Dumfries, while for the Town Council, incumbents Caetrina Peterson, Monae Nickerson, and Selona Bernice Miles, and Ebony Evonne Lofton and Tyrone Brown, are running for three spots.
Haymarket Mayor Tracy Lynn Pater is running unopposed, while five candidates are running for six seats on the Town Council.
In Occoquan, five council seats are open, and three incumbents are on the ballot.
In Quantico, Kevin Brown and Jennifer Stoltz are running for mayor, while 10 candidates — Sammoto Yomosa Dabney, Red Sullivan, Robert Teron Freeman, Jae Stoltz, Steve Kang, Brandi Maly, Nadia Madjid, Samuel Cachola Jr., Todd Zirkle, and Suzi Nedrow — are vying for five seats on the Town Council.
Find your early voting locations on the Office of Elections page.
Feature image, Drazen/stock.adobe.com
