Here’s how to cast a Virginia ballot on Election Day

Voting in person on Election Day requires a bit of planning—so we’ve rounded up the facts you need to be informed.

POV: You’ve waited until Tuesday, Nov. 5 to cast your ballot. Here’s everything you need to know about voting on Election Day. 

First of all, it’s totally fine (and totally legal) to place your vote on the last day. Out of the 2,507,159 Virginians who voted in 2023, a total of 826,174 chose to vote early, by mail, or by drop box. The 2020 election saw the highest number of absentee voters on record, at more than 2.6 million out of the over 4.4 million total votes received. Still, voting on Election Day remains a popular option. 

Voter Registration

Before you can vote, you’ve gotta be registered. Visit the Virginia Department of Elections website to look up your registration status. You can search by general info like name, birth date, and Social Security number. Vote.org also offers a 30-second search feature to confirm your registration status if you’re in a hurry. 

Virginia residents may register to vote on Election Day with a provisional ballot. To do so, visit your local polling place during open hours on Election Day and speak to a poll worker, who can help you get one. Find your local polling place here. 

Election Day Voting

Voting in person on Election Day requires a bit of planning, but you’ll also probably get a nifty “I Voted” sticker! To vote in person, double check your polling location by visiting the Virginia Department of Elections website. Your location might be a local church, school, or other community building close to your registered address. 

How to Vote

Get in line and stay in line—even if you’re still in line when the polls technically close. When it’s your turn, a poll worker will ask you to provide a valid Virginia ID before giving you a ballot. If you do not have a valid photo ID, you may still be able to vote by filling out an ID Confirmation Statement or provisional ballot. You will then have until noon the Friday following the election to provide proof of identification to the local electoral board. A poll worker should provide additional information on this process. 

When you’re checked in, a volunteer poll worker will hand you your ballot. Take this ballot into an empty voting booth and completely fill out each bubble with the pen provided, both front and back! You’ll then place your ballot into the provided privacy sleeve and head to the tabulation machine, where you’ll simply slide the ballot (not the sleeve) into a slot or other designated ballot return location. That’s it! 

When to Vote

Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. 

If you are already in line when polls close, you have the right to vote. Stay in line. 

This story was generated by AI and edited by The Dogwood staff.