​YOUR RIGHTS

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The best way to ensure your vote is counted is to make a plan and vote! To find your early voting locations, poll locations or drop boxes, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) or contact your county elections office.

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If you vote in person, you must bring an approved form of identification. Click here for a detailed list of approved IDs. 

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You can register to vote online, by mail, at your local registration office (can accommodate special needs), or at public libraries, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, and certain state/local offices such as the Department of Health (VDH), Department of Social Services (DSS), Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (DBHDS), Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH), and the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI).

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Any Virginia citizen 16 years of age or older is eligible to pre-register to vote. 

 

You have the right to change your mind

You can control how you want to vote. If it is a voter's first time voting and they have been registered by mail, the requirement to vote in-person has been lifted. If you request a mail ballot and need to vote in person, you can bring your unvoted mail ballot to the polls and vote with a regular ballot. If you don’t have your mail ballot, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to learn about your options. Please be aware that canceling your ballot at the polls may lead to additional wait times for yourself and other voters so we encourage voters to vote with their mail ballot, if possible.

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You have the right to assistance

All polling places must be accessible and equipped with poll workers that are trained to accommodate the needs of all voters.

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While the law generally prohibits others from accompanying voters into a voting booth or compartment, there are exceptions for voters who cannot read English, or who cannot mark the ballot because of blindness, near-blindness, or some other disabilities. If you need assistance, please ask a poll worker.

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Voters age 75 and older are not required to wait in line to vote between the hours of 9:30am and 4:30pm. Eligible voters should tell a poll worker if they want to move to the front of the line. Individuals 65 years of older or those with a physical disability are eligible for curbside voting. A "physical disability" is defined as a permanent physical disability, temporary physical disability, or injury.

 

You have the right to be directed to your polling location

If you try to vote at the wrong polling location, the poll workers must direct you to the right polling location. If you cannot get to your correct polling location and you are in the county in which you are registered, you can vote with a provisional ballot.

 

You have the right to vote if you are in line when the polls close

The polls are open from 6 AM to 7 PM EST. If you are in line when the polls close, you must be allowed to vote. If you are told that you cannot vote, make note of the time, stay in line, and call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)

 

If you are denied a regular ballot, you have the right to a provisional ballot

If you did not provide a valid form of ID at the polls, you may need to provide proper identification for your ballot to count. Call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for further instructions on curing provisional ballots.