To apply for an absentee ballot online, click the link above, fill in your registered voter information, click find and then check on the box with "I want to apply for absentee voting" and click continue
Notice to voters using US mail service: the USPS delivery standards changed early last year so that First Class delivery went from 1-3 days to 2-5 days and Standard delivery is now 2-9 days. Please take this into consideration as you start thinking towards absentee voting for the Presidential election.
Applying to Vote Absentee:
- Military and overseas voters can find specific information on our Military and Overseas page.
- All absentee application forms can be found on our Voter Forms page.
- You can check to see if your absentee application was received, your ballot sent or received by going to our online tool.
- Apply online for a Virginia absentee ballot >>>
Reason Codes for Voting Absentee
|
Code
1A 1B 1C 1D 1E 1F 2A 2B 2C 3A 3B 4A 5A 6A 6B 6C 6D 7A 8A 9A |
Reason
Student attending college or university outside of locality of residence in Virginia Spouse of student attending college or university outside locality of residence in Virginia Business outside County/City of residence on Election Day Personal business or vacation outside County/City of residence on Election Day I am working and commuting to/from home for 11 or more hours between 6:00 AM and 7:00 PM on Election Day I am a first responder (member of law enforcement, fire fighter, emergency technician, search and rescue) My disability or illness I am primarily and personally responsible for the care of a disabled/ill family member confined at home My pregnancy Confined, awaiting trial Confined, convicted of a misdemeanor An electoral board member, registrar, officer of election, or custodian of voting equipment I have a religious obligation Active Duty Merchant Marine or Armed Forces Spouse or dependent living with a member of 6A Temporarily residing outside of US Temporarily residing outside of US for employment or spouse or dependent residing with employee Requesting a ballot for presidential and vice-presidential electors only (Ballots for other offices/issues will not be sent)New state of residence and date moved from Virginia. Only eligible if you moved less than 30 days before the presidential election. Authorized representative of candidate or party serving inside the polling place Granted a protective order issued by or under the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction |
Supporting Information Required
Name of college or university Name of college or university Name of employer or business Place of travel (VA county/city or state or country) Name of employer or business and Election Day hours of working and commuting (AM to PM) Not required Not required Family Relationship Not required Name of institution Name of institution Not required Not required Branch of service Branch of service Enter your last date of residency at your Virginia voting residence only if you have given up that address permanently or have no intent to return Name of business or employer New state of residence and date moved from Virginia. Only eligible if you moved less than 30 days before the presidential election. Not required Name of the county or city in Virginia or the state of the issuing court |
In-Person Before visiting your local registrar’s office, check your registration status or call your registrar’s office (phone numbers available on Virginia voter registration application). Also review the application to insure you have all of the information necessary to complete the process. If you are not already registered, you will have to wait five days after registration before you can be issued an absentee ballot (exception for military and overseas voters only). If you have a Virginia DMV license or ID card, you can register online.
Within 45 days prior to the election in which you wish to vote, visit your local registrar’s office to vote absentee in-person.
At the registrar’s office, fill out an Absentee Application. You must show an acceptable form of photo ID. To view a complete list of acceptable IDs, please visit our Voting In-Person page.
After completing the application, you will be allowed to vote absentee in-person using a voting machine in the registrar’s office. Accessible equipment and/or curbside voting is available upon request.
By Mail, Fax or Email
Completing an Absentee Ballot Application:
In Person
An application completed in person can be made up to three days before the election in which the applicant wishes to vote and completed in the office of the local registrar. The applicant signs the application in the presence of a registrar or the secretary of the electoral board. Some large localities offer satellite locations for in-person absentee voting. Check with your local registrar for locations and times.
An applicant generally cannot both register to vote in person and vote absentee in person at the same time. If you register to vote in person, your absentee ballot cannot be issued until five days after you are registered. The only exception is absent military and overseas voters eligible under a federal law.
Registered voters who vote absentee in person are subject to the same rules that apply to voting at the polls. If acceptable identification is not provided, a provisional ballot will be offered and the voter is allowed until Friday noon after the election to provide a copy of acceptable identification to the electoral board. Provisional voters receive a notice to remind them of the deadline and right to attend the electoral board meeting.
By Mail, fax or email
Applications can be sent by mail to the office of the local registrar. The signed and completed application must be received by the local registrar located in the city or county that you are registered to vote by 5:00 p.m. eastern standard time on the Tuesday prior to the election in which the applicant wishes to vote. A completed and signed application can also be transmitted electronically by fax or as scanned attachment to an email. Contact information for your local general registrar’s office is available from the home page at "Contact Local Office."
Some first-time voters, including one under age 65 caring for a family member confined by illness, cannot vote absentee by mail. Check with your registrar to confirm absentee by mail eligibility. If your absentee ballot never arrives or there is not enough time to make another request, you can vote curbside on or before Election Day if you have a physical disability or are over age 65. You may experience delays.
Emergency Absentee Voting: There are two basic types of emergency absentee voting with different procedures for each:
Within 45 days prior to the election in which you wish to vote, visit your local registrar’s office to vote absentee in-person.
At the registrar’s office, fill out an Absentee Application. You must show an acceptable form of photo ID. To view a complete list of acceptable IDs, please visit our Voting In-Person page.
After completing the application, you will be allowed to vote absentee in-person using a voting machine in the registrar’s office. Accessible equipment and/or curbside voting is available upon request.
By Mail, Fax or Email
- Download and complete the Absentee Ballot Application form (.pdf).
- Return the completed and signed form to your local registrar’s office by mail, fax or scanned attachment to an email. Contact information for your local general registrar’s office is available from the home page at "Contact Local Office."
- After the registrar processes your application, you will receive your ballot in the mail.
- Carefully review the instructions to complete and return your ballot to your local registrar by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Completing an Absentee Ballot Application:
In Person
An application completed in person can be made up to three days before the election in which the applicant wishes to vote and completed in the office of the local registrar. The applicant signs the application in the presence of a registrar or the secretary of the electoral board. Some large localities offer satellite locations for in-person absentee voting. Check with your local registrar for locations and times.
An applicant generally cannot both register to vote in person and vote absentee in person at the same time. If you register to vote in person, your absentee ballot cannot be issued until five days after you are registered. The only exception is absent military and overseas voters eligible under a federal law.
Registered voters who vote absentee in person are subject to the same rules that apply to voting at the polls. If acceptable identification is not provided, a provisional ballot will be offered and the voter is allowed until Friday noon after the election to provide a copy of acceptable identification to the electoral board. Provisional voters receive a notice to remind them of the deadline and right to attend the electoral board meeting.
By Mail, fax or email
Applications can be sent by mail to the office of the local registrar. The signed and completed application must be received by the local registrar located in the city or county that you are registered to vote by 5:00 p.m. eastern standard time on the Tuesday prior to the election in which the applicant wishes to vote. A completed and signed application can also be transmitted electronically by fax or as scanned attachment to an email. Contact information for your local general registrar’s office is available from the home page at "Contact Local Office."
Some first-time voters, including one under age 65 caring for a family member confined by illness, cannot vote absentee by mail. Check with your registrar to confirm absentee by mail eligibility. If your absentee ballot never arrives or there is not enough time to make another request, you can vote curbside on or before Election Day if you have a physical disability or are over age 65. You may experience delays.
Emergency Absentee Voting: There are two basic types of emergency absentee voting with different procedures for each:
- Incapacity with Designated Representative (Va. Code § 24.2-705)
Eligibility- Voter became ill or incapacitated on or after the 7th day preceding the election
- Voter became hospitalized on or after the 14th day preceding the election, but still in hospital and condition has made unable to request an absentee ballot earlier than the 7th day before an election
- Bereaved by a “family member” as defined by 24.2-705.1(2)
- Other comparably incapacitating emergency found by the Electoral Board to justify providing an emergency ballot application.
- Designated representative may request through the day before the election
- Completed application must be delivered back to the local registrar’s office by 5:00 p.m. the day before the election
- Voted ballot must be returned before polls close on Election Day (exception allows designated representative to return the voted ballot)
- Voter Plans Change After Noon Saturday (Va. Code § 24.2-705.1)
Eligibility- Late assignment of an Election Officer
- Required emergency travel for business, hospitalization or death in immediate family
- Apply and vote in person by 2:00 p.m. on the day preceding the election
- A current and valid photo ID (for example a driver’s license);
- or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck that shows name and address;
- or another government document that shows name and address (for example a voter card). If the voter returns an absentee ballot by mail without a copy of one of these forms of ID, the absentee ballot will be treated as a provisional ballot and counted only if the voter provides a copy of ID to the electoral board by the deadline applicable to all voters.