What You Need to Know
The Virginia Mercury’s Voter Guide will help you prepare to exercise your civic rights, inform you about the candidates and lay out the elections information you need.
Virginia has two United States senators and 11 congressional districts; The Mercury will focus on the contest between U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. (incumbent) and his Republican challenger Hung Cao, and four congressional district races: District 2, District 7, District 9, and District 10. We will also cover select local races, including the Richmond mayoral race. Additionally, we’ll offer presidential election stories that explore how each candidates’ policies might impact Virginia.
Need to know:
-Early voting begins Sept. 20 in Virginia. Use the Virginia Department of Elections polling place lookup tool to find out where you can mark your ballot. The last day of in-person early voting at your local voter registration office is Nov. 2.
-The deadline to register to vote in Virginia, or to update an existing registration, is Oct. 15. According to the Department of Elections, “Voters may register after this date, through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot.” You can register to vote online through the Department’s Citizens Portal.
-Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. You can still vote if you’re in line at closing time.
-You’ll need to show an acceptable form of identification to vote at the polls. You can show your Virginia driver’s license, whether it’s expired or not. Other forms of ID will work too; find the full list here.
-Think you might have been mistakenly purged from Virginia’s voter rolls? Here’s what to do.
On the issues
As Election Day draws closer, The Mercury asked candidates in four key Virginia congressional races — Districts 2, 7, 9 and 10 — to share their views and policy plans on the issues that most impact the commonwealth, and reviewed their positions on their campaign websites, social media pages, and in other media. Read their responses to our questions about abortion, guns, housing, immigration, environmental, and education policy here, and stay tuned for in-depth profiles of these candidates in the coming weeks.
District/candidate profiles:
• U.S. Senate: Kaine faces off against GOP challenger Cao in high-stakes U.S. Senate race
• District 2: Kiggans and Smasal face off in highly competitive 2nd District
• District 7: Tight race looms in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District as Anderson and Vindman face off
•District 9: In the ‘Fightin’ Ninth,’ Baker seeks to end Griffith’s 13-year tenure
• District 10: Northern Virginia’s 10th Congressional District race pits Clancy against Subramanyam
Races
Virginia has 11 congressional districts, and all of them will elect representatives this November. One of Virginia's U.S. Senate seats is also on the ballot.
Ballot Measures
A ballot measure is a law, issue or question that voters decide through an election.