Virginia voter guide: What you need to know for the 2021 general election wtop.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wtop.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The 2021 election season in Virginia has begun, with in-person primary voting underway.
They are mostly Democratic primaries this year; most of the Republican races will be decided in a series of remote conventions May 8, although there will be a few GOP races on the ballot.
Most of the changes to voting in Virginia adopted last year due to the pandemic are still in place, but there are a few differences. Here’s what you need to know.
In-person voting
Voting started April 23; the final day of voting, primary day, is June 8. 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. If you are voting in-person before June 8, the hours vary. Check below for your county, city or town.
UpdatedThu, Apr 29, 2021 at 3:26 pm ET
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The Town of Vienna s May 4 election will decide three Town Council seats. (Emily Leayman/Patch)
VIENNA, VA On Tuesday, May 4, Town of Vienna voters will cast their ballots in the annual town election. Three Town Council seats are up for grabs, and four candidates are running.
Early in-person voting runs through May 1, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The early voting location is the Fairfax County Office of Elections, Suite 323, at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035. Voters who requested an absentee ballot by mail must have it received by the Fairfax County Office of Elections by noon on Friday, May 7.
April 20, 2021 at 2:00pm
Later this week, Fairfax County will kick off voting for its second pandemic primary, and the county officials running the election are applying a few lessons from the last year of early and mail-in voting.
Early voting for the Democratic primary is scheduled to start this Friday (April 23) and will be open to all voters registered in the county.
Voters in last year’s election faced long lines as they waited to turn in their ballots early, but Fairfax County General Registrar and Director of Elections Gary Scott, who is retiring from the position this year, said that scenario is unlikely in this year’s elections.
The Seal of Fairfax County Hangs over the entrance to the Government Center. The building where the County Board meets along with other services. Image by Fairfax County.
Fairfax County may be swapping out some of its extra parking space at the Fairfax County Government Center for affordable housing. You’ll soon have a chance to tell the board what you think.
Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw brought up the idea at a county board meeting back in October. He offered a motion that the county board authorize a hearing on allowing the county to transfer ownership of parking lots G and H at the Fairfax County Government Center to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA). Then they’d work with the county and developers to replace the parking lots with affordable housing. The Government Center is in the Braddock District’s western edge. The move would open up about three and a half acres for development along Government Center Parkway for committe