NORFOLK, Va. — Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, and deadlines are fast approaching if you intend to cast an absentee ballot.
Qualified voters can cast a ballot through in-person absentee voting at their local registrar's office or by mail.
To vote absentee, registered voters must meet one of 20 eligibility requirements. Qualifying reasons to vote absentee include pregnancy, a religious obligation or personal business or vacation outside where you live on Election Day.
October 29 is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot by mail, online, or fax machine. 5 p.m. to get your application in. Click here to request an absentee ballot online.
If that's not enough time, don't worry: you can still apply for an absentee ballot in-person at your local registrar's office through Saturday, November 2.
If you do plan to cast your absentee ballot in person, remember you need to bring an approved photo ID like a driver's license or Military ID.
All absentee ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.
So far, Virginia voters have already returned more absentee ballots in 2019 than in the November 2015 election, which was the last time all 140 seats in the General Assembly were up for reelection.
In the last few elections, there has been an uptick in absentee ballots, but not all returned ballots are counted.
A Virginia Department of Elections 2018 post-election report found that 6,771 absentee votes did not count in the 2018 election because they were returned to the registrar's office after Election Day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.