Early voting for 2026 primaries begins across our hometowns

(WDBJ) - In-person early voting for the August 4, 2026, primary election has officially started at registrar offices that will be closed in observance of Juneteenth, the Virginia Department of Elections (ELECT) announced Thursday.

All counties and independent cities offer early voting across our hometowns as voters are only allowed to vote early in the jurisdiction in which they’re registered, said the department.

The Commonwealth’s 45-day early voting period officially begins Saturday, June 20, but registrar offices that’ll be closed must offer early voting on June 19. However, due to the holiday, most registrar offices will be closed; those offices will offer early voting beginning on Thursday, according to ELECT.

The localities that’ll be open for early voting June 19 are:

• Campbell County
• Russell County
• Fredericksburg City
• Lunenburg County
• Powhatan County

All other localities will begin early voting Thursday morning; early in-person voting will continue through Saturday, August 1, said ELECT.

To vote early in-person, registered voters should go to a designated early voting location for the jurisdiction in which they are registered, show their identification and cast a ballot.

Early voting locations vary by jurisdiction. Each locality in the state sets its own early voting location(s). Some jurisdictions offer early in-person voting at multiple satellite locations throughout the early voting period. Dates and times vary by jurisdiction (Early Voting Office Locations).

For the first time, early voting will take place in all localities on two Sundays. That along with two Saturdays preceding Election Day, early voting will also take place on the second and third Sundays before Election Day, ELECT said.

For the 2026 primary, those days are Sunday, July 19; Saturday, July 25; Sunday, July 26, and Saturday, Aug. 1.

Curbside voting is also available for those with disabilities and those over 65 who wish to vote in person. Contact your general registrar’s office for more information regarding voting hours, additional locations and ballot drop boxes (Local Contact Information).

A list of acceptable forms of identification can be found online (Do I need an ID to vote?). Requested absentee ballots will begin being mailed out no later than June 19, including ballots to registered military and overseas voters.

The department says any registered voter can request an absentee ballot either in person, by mail, online (Citizen Portal) or by contacting their general registrar’s office. The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot is July 24.

Registered voters do not need a reason to request an absentee ballot.

Absentee ballots can be dropped off at the general registrar’s office or designated dropbox location during the early voting period or at polling locations on Election Day. Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Aug. 4 and received by noon Aug. 7.

Anyone with visual or manual dexterity impairment has the option to vote an absentee ballot using an electronic marking tool.

The deadline to register to vote and cast a regular ballot is July 24. Afterward, voters can register and vote through same-day registration and cast a provisional ballot. Same-day registration must take place in person either at an early voting location for the jurisdiction in which the voter intends to register or at their designated polling location on Election Day, said ELECT.

Voters with questions about absentee or early in-person voting can call their general registrar’s office or the Department of Election at 1-800-552-9745 or email at info@elections.virginia.gov.

All 133 Virginia counties and cities will have a Republican primary, but only 82 will have a Democratic primary.

On the ballot this year in Virginia are primaries for both Democratic and Republican nominees for House of Representatives seats, a Republican Party primary for U.S. Senate, and local races.

A full list of candidates in all 2025 races can be found online.

Important dates for the Aug. 4 election cycle:

• June 18 – Registrar offices that will be closed for Juneteenth (June 19) will begin early voting June 18.
• July 19 – Registrar offices open for Sunday voting.
• July 24 – Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail or online.
• July 24– Deadline to register to vote and cast a regular ballot.
• July 25 – Same-day registration begins. Anyone registering and voting at the same time will have to cast a provisional ballot.
• July 25 – Registrar offices open for Saturday voting.
• July 26 – Registrar offices open for Sunday voting.
• Aug. 1 – Last day of early voting.
• Aug. 4 – ELECTION DAY
• Aug. 7 – All mailed ballots that were postmarked by Election Day must be received by the general registrar’s office by noon to be counted.
• Aug. 11 – Deadline for local electoral board to certify provisional ballots.
• Aug. 18 – State Board of Elections certifies results.