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Virginia primary voter guide 2022

Virginians will go to the polls to pick major party candidates in several races for the U.S. House and a D.C.-area local race. Here’s what you need to know.

In-person voting

Primary day is June 21. Polls that day will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you are in line at 7 p.m., you will get to vote.

In-person voting started May 6 and runs through June 18 at 5 p.m. You can vote at your registrar’s office — you can find them on . — and at other locations that you can check below.

You can drop your ballot off at a drop box; they’re at virtually all polling places. Some of the boxes in the D.C. area are 24/7; check below, or with your city or county.

Voters heading to the polls are strongly encouraged to wear a mask, although it’s not required.

Where to vote in person

You can find your polling place.

You need an ID to vote in person. You can find out which ones will work for you on the.

Need to register?

Check . The deadline is May 31.

Mail-in ballots and drop boxes

Anyone can ask for a mail-in ballot or absentee ballot (in Virginia they’re the same thing). Ballots will start being mailed out to voters May 7; the deadline to request one is June 10.

You have until June 21 at 7 p.m. to drop off your ballot. You can mail your ballot as long as it’s postmarked on or before June 21 and it gets to your elections office by June 24. (Don’t cut it too close: Ask yourself how confident you feel that your ballot will get there in time.)

Where are the drop boxes?

That depends what county you live in. You can find the details below.

Who’s on the ballot?

Democrats are holding one primary, in District 8, while Republicans are holding a primary in the 7th District and several “firehouse” primaries and conventions, held among and administered by the party, to pick their candidates.There’s also a Democratic primary for the Manassas City Council.

This is a redistricting year, so you may not be voting for or against the same representative you have in the past. We’ve put in candidate lists when we have them, but you’re unsure which district you’re in, . Your city or county will probably send you something in the mail too.

8th District

Democratic primary

(Incumbent)

The Republicans held a convention May 21.

Early voting is at Courthouse Plaza, at 2100 Clarendon Blvd., May 6 through June 18. It is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except when it is closed for Memorial Day).

The site will be open late — 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. — June 16, and again on Saturday, June 18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You can vote at the Madison Community Center, at 3829 North Stafford St. or the Walter Reed Community Center, at 2909 16th St. South as well. Those sites are open June 16 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and June 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Drop boxes

They’re available 24/7:

  • Courthouse Plaza, 2100 Clarendon Blvd.
  • Aurora Hills Community Center, 735 18th St. South
  • Arlington Mill Community Center, 909 South Dinwiddie St.
  • Central Library, 1015 North Quincy St.
  • Langston-Brown Community Center, 2121 North Culpeper St.
  • Madison Community Center, 3829 North Stafford St.
  • Shirlington Library, 4200 Campbell Ave.
  • Walter Reed Community Center, 2909 16th St. South
  • Westover Library, 1644 North McKinley St.

8th District

Democratic primary

(Incumbent)

The Republicans held a convention May 21.

You can vote in person at the Office of Voter Registration and Elections, 132 North Royal St., Suite 100. It is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except when it is closed for Memorial Day).

It has scheduled some extended and weekend hours as well:

  • Thursday, June 16, 8 a.m. — 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, June 18, 8 a.m. — 5 p.m.

Drop boxes

There will be one at every polling place on primary day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and a 24/7 drop box outside the Office of Voter Registration and Elections from May 6 until 7 p.m. primary day.

Fairfax County encompasses the 8th, 10th and 11th Districts. The 10th and 11th aren’t having Democratic primaries, and in both districts, the Republicans are holding a firehouse primary. Again, check your congressional district online; the county government says it may have changed.

8th Congressional District

Democratic primary

(Incumbent)

The Republicans held a convention May 21.

8th Congressional District

Democratic primary

(Incumbent)

The Republicans held a convention May 21.

In-person voting is at 9025 Center St. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and some Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 703-257-8200 to see whether it’s open the Saturday you want to go.

City Council

Democratic primary

Ralph J. Smith (Incumbent)

Robert R. Keller

Sonia R. Vasquez Luna

7th Congressional District

Democratic incumbent Abigail Spanberger doesn’t have a primary opponent.

Republican primary

You can vote starting May 6 at Government Center, 1300 Courthouse Road, Stafford. There’s a 24/7 drop box outside too.

7th Congressional District

Democratic incumbent Abigail Spanberger doesn’t have a primary opponent.

Republican primary

Other areas of Virginia

2nd Congressional District

(Virginia Beach, Williamsburg and parts of Norfolk and Hampton)

Democratic primary

, the incumbent, doesn’t have a challenger.

Republican primary

3rd Congressional District

(The Richmond area to Hampton Roads)

Democratic primary

, the incumbent, doesn’t have a challenger.

Republican primary

4th Congressional District

(The Richmond suburbs to parts of Hampton Roads)

Democratic primary

The incumbent, , has no challenger.

Republican primary

5th Congressional District

(From the North Carolina border up through Charlottesville to near D.C.’s outer suburbs in Fauquier County)

is the Democratic nominee.

Republican convention

Incumbent and are running in a Republican convention, not a primary.

6th Congressional District

(Western Virginia)

Republican primary

(Incumbent)

Democratic primary

The Democrats are holding a convention.

9th Congressional District

(Western Virginia)

Republican primary

(Incumbent)

No Democrats are running for this seat.

Rick Massimo

Rick Massimo came to ݮý, and to Washington, in 2013 after having lived in Providence, R.I., since he was a child.He's the author of "A Walking Tour of the Georgetown Set" and "I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival."

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