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Can I vote by mail in Virginia?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationFri, Oct 23Passed
Same-day registration during early voting and on Election Day (provisional ballot).
- Mail request must be receivedFri, Oct 23, 5 p.m.Passed
Missed the request deadline?
- Voters kept from applying or voting by their own hospitalization or illness, or the hospitalization, illness or death of a spouse, child or parent, or another emergency after the deadline. Deadline: Mon, Nov 2, 2 p.m.. Emergency Absentee Ballot Application; a representative you designate takes the signed form to the general registrar, brings you the ballot, watches you mark it, and returns it before polls close at 7 p.m. Nov. 3. source
- Voters with a work obligation, a family hospitalization or a death in the immediate family arising after noon the Saturday before. Deadline: Mon, Nov 2, 2 p.m.. Apply and vote in person at the general registrar's office. source
- Voters with a disability or illness whose mailed ballot never arrived or was lost. Deadline: Sat, Oct 31, close of business. Designate a representative in writing on the state form; they pick up a replacement ballot from the registrar and return it by close of polls Nov. 3. source
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your general registrar by noon on the third day after (Nov. 6). You can also use a drop-off location; check the instructions in your ballot packet.
Dropping it off? Drop boxes are widely available here, and using one skips the mail entirely. drop-off locations (listed in your ballot packet).
Who can return it for you: You must return it yourself, with narrow exceptions. A mailed ballot goes back by mail (USPS or a commercial carrier, not a friend or courier), by you in person to the registrar, or to an official drop-off location. Exceptions: your designated representative under the emergency and disability rules. The law doesn't say who may use a drop-off location. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Fri, Nov 6 · 12 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Fix a missing signature, witness or date with your general registrar before noon on Nov. 6, the third day after the election. Only ballots received by Oct. 30 get this chance; the registrar notifies you within three days. Deadline: Fri, Nov 6 · 12 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in Virginia If the ID rule applies to you (typically first-time voters who registered by mail), include a copy of your ID with a mailed ballot or it's counted only as provisional.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Virginia?
Will your ballot count in Virginia?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Virginia, and how to avoid it
- If you registered without showing ID, include a copy of an acceptable ID with your mailed ballot or it will be treated as provisional.
- Sign the envelope. An unsigned envelope is the most common fixable mistake.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Sat, Oct 31. Locations and hours
Bring some ID. A utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck with your name and address usually works, and there's a fallback if you have none.
Accepted: Voter confirmation documents, VA DMV license/ID (expired OK), US passport, employer photo ID, VA college/university/high-school student ID, US college photo ID, other US/VA government ID, US military ID, VA Voter Photo ID Card, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document with name and address Without one: Voter may sign an ID Confirmation Statement (subject to felony penalties) and vote a regular ballot. If they refuse, they vote provisional and have until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver a copy of ID or a signed ID Confirmation Statement to the electoral board.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Virginia has a permanent absentee list for any voter. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. Choose 'all future elections' online or on the paper application. Removed on request, if your registration goes inactive, or if you move outside the county or city.
Virginia cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Mon, Nov 16.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-25. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.