Absentee Voting Begins Friday in Alexandria

Absentee voting for the Nov. 3 General Election begins Friday, Sept. 18. Many Alexandria voters are eligible to vote absentee, for example, if they are:

• Away for personal business, work, vacation, active military service or at school.
• Working and commuting for 11 or more hours between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Election Day. Take into account those days when traffic is heavy or the weather is bad and it takes longer than usual to get to and from work.
• Physically unable to go to the polls because of an illness or disability.
• A caregiver for a confined family member.
• A “first responder” (firefighter, law enforcement, emergency medical technician, search and rescue).

To learn more about these, and other circumstances in which absentee voting is an appropriate option, visit alexandriava.gov/Elections and click on “Absentee Voting,” or call 703.746.4050.

Absentee Voting in Person

The deadline for voting absentee in person is Saturday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. In-person absentee voting hours and locations are as follows:

Office of Voter Registrations and Elections, 132 N. Royal Street, Suite 100
Opens for absentee voting on Friday, Sept. 18

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Monday, October 12)
Saturdays, October 24 and 31, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Extended evening hours:

• Monday, Oct. 19 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 21 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 26 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 27 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 28 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 29 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke Street
Opens for absentee voting on Saturday, Oct. 24

• Saturday, Oct. 24 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 26 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 27 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 28 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 29 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 30 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 31 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

ID Requirements for Absentee Voting

Virginia’s photo ID requirements apply to absentee voters who cast their absentee ballot in person. They do not apply to absentee voters who request an absentee ballot by mail.

Acceptable forms of photo identification include:

· Valid Virginia Driver’s License or DMV-issued Photo Identification Card

· Valid United States Passport or Passport Card

· Valid Military ID

· Other government-issued photo identification card (from the U.S. Government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, or a local government within Virginia)

· Valid student photo identification card from an institution of higher education located in Virginia

· Valid employee photo identification card

Voters who do not have acceptable ID may apply for an ID (and receive a temporary ID) at the same time they come to cast their in-person absentee ballot.

Absentee Voting by Mail

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot by mail is Tuesday, Oct. 27. Applications must be received in the Voter Registration Office by 5 p.m. on that day. Absentee ballot applications are available online at alexandriava.gov/Elections, or by contacting the Alexandria Voter Registration Office at 703.746.4050. Completed (signed) absentee applications may be submitted in person or by mail to the Voter Registration Office (132 N. Royal Street, Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22314); or may be sent by fax (703.838.6449), or scanned email attachment to VoteAbsentee@alexandriava.gov.

These absentee ballots must be received by the Voter Registration Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3. The ballot may be returned by mail or delivered personally by the voter.

What’s on the Ballot?

In Alexandria, the November Ballot includes Virginia State Senate and House of Delegates, and Alexandria Mayor, City Council and School Board.

The voter registration deadline for this election is October 13. You may submit or update your registration information online at vote.virginia.gov.

For complete information on this election, including voter registration requirements, sample ballots, precinct maps and photo ID requirements, visit alexandriava.gov/Elections.