NORFOLK, Va. — Tuesday, June 18, 2024, is Primary Day in Virginia, as voters across the Commonwealth will vote on who they want to represent them in the United States Congress later this year.
One of Virginia's two seats in the Senate, and all 11 House of Representatives seats are on the ballot on Nov. 5, 2024. Primary elections for those seats will be held on June 18.
If you're heading to the polls on Tuesday, here are some rules and other information you should keep in mind in order to cast your ballot.
Before you can vote, you must first be registered. According to the Virginia Department of Elections, to be eligible to vote in Virginia elections, people must:
- Be a permanent resident of Virginia (not just someone who is here for an extended period).
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Be 18 years old (Those who are 17 can vote in the primary if they turn 18 by the general election).
- Not be registered and planning to vote in another state.
- Must be mentally competent.
- Convicted felons must have had their voting rights restored.
Suppose you're not sure whether or not you are a registered voter. In that case, you can check Virginia voter registration status as well as find your polling place and apply for absentee voting by mail on the Virginia Department of Elections Citizen Portal.
If you haven't yet registered for Tuesday's primary, you'll need to follow Virginia's same-day voter registration guidelines. It is only available in person at the general registrar’s office for your locality, at your satellite early voting site during the early voting period, and at your precinct on Election Day.
If you vote in person in Virginia, you'll be asked to show a form of identification. Any voter who doesn't have an ID can instead sign a statement affirming their identity, according to the Virginia Department of Elections website. Voters who don't have an ID and don't sign the statement can vote using a provisional ballot.
Lastly, keep in mind that to vote in a primary election in Virginia, you do not need to be registered to a political party.
Anyone registered to vote can vote in either primary, but no one is allowed to vote in both primaries. When you go to vote, you'll pick which primary you want to participate in and vote accordingly.