As Virginia elections approach in just a few weeks, University students are preparing to cast their ballots for statewide and local elections. The Commonwealth will hold elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, House of Delegates and several local offices Nov. 4. Students are eligible to register and vote if they are a United States citizen, a resident of Virginia and are at least 18 years old by the date of the general election.
All students can register to vote in Charlottesville or Albemarle, regardless of their home state, by listing the address of their on-Grounds or off-Grounds housing.
Here is a guide on how to register and vote locally, including for out-of-state students.
In-state students
Students with a Virginia driver’s license can register to vote online through the Virginia Department of Elections website. If a student is registered elsewhere in Virginia and wants to vote in that precinct, an absentee ballot can also be requested online through the Virginia Department of Elections. If a student is registered elsewhere in Virginia and wants to vote in Charlottesville or Albemarle, they can change their address using the online portal, or using a Voter Registration Form, both found here.
Voter rolls will close Friday for the upcoming general elections. This is the deadline for registration, but also for making changes to existing voter registrations.
Friday is also the deadline to request an absentee ballot if you are registered somewhere else in Virginia. Absentee ballots must be delivered to a voter’s precinct by 7:00 p.m. on election night, which is when polls close. If a voter mails their absentee ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day and received no later than noon on the third day following the election.
Out-of-state students wanting to vote in Virginia
Students without a Virginia driver’s license can not register online and must instead complete a physical form. If a student is already registered to vote in another state, registering to vote in Virginia will change their residency status. The Voter Registration Form can be mailed or delivered to the local registrar's office for Charlottesville or Albemarle. More information can be found on Charlottesville’s website and Albemarle's website.
Registration forms must be postmarked or delivered by the registration deadline for the election.
Voters can ensure their registration is up-to-date and accurate using the Virginia Department of Elections Citizen Portal.
Where to vote locally
One’s polling place is determined by their address and whether they reside in Charlottesville or Albemarle County, which are separate jurisdictions. Most on-Grounds students reside in Albemarle County, and their primary polling places include Slaughter Recreation Center and the Miller Center for public affairs. Full Albemarle County polling places can be found on the county’s website.
Students in the City of Charlottesville, which include most off-Grounds residences, primarily vote at Trailblazer Elementary School and Johnson Elementary School. Full City of Charlottesville polling places can be found on the city’s website.
Early voting for the upcoming elections began Sept. 19, and will run through Nov. 1. Early ballots can be cast at the local registrar’s office only, not at Election Day polling places. All localities offer early voting, and polling places can be found using the Virginia Department of Elections’ lookup tool.
In-person voting will take place on Election Day, Nov. 4. Students who are not already registered to vote on Election Day can register same-day at their precinct, and are able to cast a provisional ballot.
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