If you are using your right to vote this Election Day in Virginia, here is what you need to know.
When is Election Day?
Voting is being held Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Early voting began Friday, Sept. 23 and the last day to vote early in-person was Saturday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m.
How long are the polls open on Election Day?
The polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. As long as you are in line by 7 p.m. you will be able to vote. Be sure to bring a form of identification such as a driver’s license, passport, etc., or you will be required to sign an identification confirmation statement or will receive a provisional ballot. According to elections.virginia.gov, a provisional ballot is “a way for people to vote whose voter registration or qualifications to vote are in question” and are handled differently from regular ballots, as their eligibility to be counted is determined by the local electoral board.
What about registration?
If you are age 18 and over and are registered to vote in Virginia, follow this link to find your polling place (aka where you need to go to vote).
The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot has passed, but this year Virginia is instituting same-day registration. Same-day registration voters will receive a provisional ballot. To get more information about same-day registration click here.
Who’s running?
What is on your ballot depends on where you live in Virginia. By entering your address on ballotpedia.org, you will be able to see what will be on your ballot.
All 11 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, but the 2nd, 7th and 10th districts have the spotlight right now.
District 2 is mainly rooted in Virginia Beach, and the women running for the seat are Rep. Elaine Luria (D) and State Sen. Jen A. Kiggans (R-Virginia Beach). Luria is the incumbent candidate, as she is currently serving her second Congressional term. Both have served in the U.S. Navy- Luria a former Navy commander and Kiggans a former Navy helicopter pilot. Luria served on the committee for the investigation of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and her campaign has focused on military and veteran support and abortion access. Kiggans, a State Senator and geriatric nurse practitioner, has pushed issues such as reducing inflation and sharing her pro-life views.
District 7’s election is Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) against Yesli Vega (R). Spanberger, a former CIA agent, is hoping for a third term win in the fight against Vega, an auxiliary sheriff’s deputy in Prince William County. Spanberger wants to protect abortion rights and give more funding to police departments for training while also aiming for an inflation decrease. Vega, a daughter of immigrant parents from Salvador, is emphasizing her call for economical improvements and is against abortion with exceptions for certain circumstances.
District 10’s Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D) is yet another candidate aiming for a third term. She is running against the Republican candidate Hung Cao. Wexton, a former domestic violence prosecutor, is championing for stricter gun control, inflation reduction and abortion rights. Cao, a retired Navy captain and Vietnamese refugee is promoting parental involvement in what is being taught in schools, border control and a pro-life stance on abortion.
Whether or not these candidates will be on your ballot, be sure to do your own research before hitting the polls.