As a US citizen, you have rights during election season. If you are registered to vote, your vote deserves to be heard and counted.
That’s why, here at Dogwood, we want you to be informed about your constitutional right to vote before you cast your ballot.
Here are your voting rights in Virginia.
Early voting
If you cannot vote in person in Virginia, you have the right to an absentee ballot no matter the reason. The Commonwealth of Virginia does not require you to provide a reason for an absentee ballot. You can easily request an absentee ballot using Dogwood’s voter registration tool found here! You may complete and return your absentee ballot to the registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Virginians also have the right to vote early in person ahead of Election Day. You can vote early starting 45 days before Election Day until the Saturday before Election Day. You also don’t need a reason to vote early in person, but be sure to check your registration status with Dogwood’s voter registration tool ahead of time. You can find your local registrar’s office to vote early through the Virginia Department of Elections website.
Election Day
So you’re registered to vote, have your chosen form of identification in hand, and you’re ready to head over to your polling place. But before you’re greeted by your local poll worker, there are more rights to know before casting your vote.
Polling hours in Virginia are 6 a.m.-7 p.m. If you are still in line at the polls at 7 p.m., stay in line! Your vote still has to be counted.
If a poll worker says you aren’t in the poll book, you are still entitled to a provisional ballot. Ensure your poll worker also double-checks your registration status, and spell your name out loud if needed. Have the wrong polling place? You can use our voter registration tool to check your polling place, or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE for further assistance on Election Day.
If you make any mistakes on your ballot, you have the right to a new one. Poll workers are there to help, so make sure you let someone know if accidents happen. Further, if the machines at your polling place malfunction, you may ask for a paper ballot instead.
If you require extra accessibility assistance in voting, your poll workers are there to help, and it’s your right to have your ballot counted no matter what. You may also bring a family member or friend to the polling station with you for additional assistance. Let the poll workers know you have someone helping you; your aid may be required to sign a form promising that they won’t influence your vote.
Voter intimidation
Voter intimidation is the aggressive questioning of voters’ qualifications to vote. Some intimidators may falsely represent themselves as a poll worker, or spread false information about your ability to vote. Under federal law, you may not “intimidate, threaten, [or] coerce…” those attempting to vote. The same law applies to federal and state officials who may question your citizenship status.
If intimidation occurs when you vote, you can give a sworn statement to a poll worker that you meet the qualifications to vote, and cast your ballot. You can report any instances of voter intimidation to the poll workers at your voting place and to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA for Spanish.
