When will you vote?

Make a plan, there is less than one week left.

You can vote absentee in person until Saturday, Nov. 4. If you haven’t voted by then, you will need to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7. Decide what time you’ll go, make plans with a family member or a friend to meet at the polls. Don’t let the day get away from you. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 7.

Consider the election four years ago of Attorney General Mark Herring (D), who is running again this year to keep his position. Herring defeated his Republican opponent by 165 votes, 1,103,777 votes to 1,103,612 - a difference of 165 votes out of more than 2.2 million cast, or less that one half of one percent difference. Herring promptly announced he would not defend Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban. It’s fair to say that a variety of other issues have been different because of that razor thin victory.

Absentee Voting in Person

Voting early if you qualify is a good choice.

There are 19 valid reasons to vote absentee in Virginia, including the possibility that you will be working and commuting to and from home for 11 or more hours between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Election Day. Check the Virginia Department of Elections list to see if you are eligible: elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting/index.html

There are two ways to vote absentee: in-person and by mail. To vote by mail, you will need to apply for an absentee ballot; if you vote absentee in-person you will fill out the application when you arrive at the in-person absentee location.

See your locality’s elections website for more.

Bring Photo ID, There Are Alternatives

Virginia has voter identification requirements; plan to bring photo identification with you to vote, whether absentee or on Election Day.

Any registered voter who does not have one of the required forms of identification can apply for a free Virginia Voter Photo Identification from any general registrar’s office in the Commonwealth. Voters applying for the Virginia Voter Photo ID complete the Virginia Voter Photo Identification Card Application, have their picture taken, and sign the digital signature pad.

Among accepted ID: valid Virginia Driver’s License or Identification Card; valid Virginia DMV issued Veteran’s ID card; valid U.S. Passport; other government-issued photo identification cards issued by the U.S. Government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, or a political subdivision of the Commonwealth; valid college or university student photo identification card from an institution of higher education located in Virginia; valid student ID issued by a public school or private school in Virginia displaying a photo; employee identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary course of the employer’s business.

A voter who does not bring an acceptable photo ID to the polls will be offered a provisional ballot.

To find a registration office where you can obtain photo ID, even on the day of an election, visit: vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup.

Provisional Ballot Process for Voters Who Arrive Without Identification

If you arrive at your polling place on Election Day without an acceptable form of photo identification, don’t panic or give up. You will be given the opportunity to vote a provisional ballot. After completing the provisional ballot, the individual voting will be given written instructions from the election officials on how to submit a copy of his/her identification so that his/her vote can be counted.

A voter will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of the identification to the local electoral board or to appear in person to apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card. Also by noon on Friday following the election, the voter may appear in-person in the office of the general registrar, in the locality in which the provisional ballot was cast, and apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card. At the completion of the application process, the voter may request a Temporary Identification Document. This document may be provided to the electoral board to suffice the identification requirement.

ON THE BALLOT

Governor

Ralph S. Northam (D)

Edward W. “Ed” Gillespie (R)

Clifford D. Hyra (L)

Lieutenant Governor

Justin E. Fairfax (D)

Jill H. Vogel (R)

Attorney General

Mark R. Herring (D)*

John D. Adams (R)

House of Delegates

34th District

Kathleen Murphy (D) incumbent

Cheryl Buford (R)

35th District

Mark Keam (D) incumbent, unopposed

36th District

Ken Plum (D) incumbent, unopposed

37th District

David Bulova (D) incumbent, unopposed

38th District

Kay Kory (D) incumbent

Paul Haring (R)

39th District

Vivian Watts (D) incumbent, unopposed

40th District

Donte Tanner (D)

Tim Hugo (R) incumbent

41st District

Eileen Filler-Corn (D) incumbent, unopposed

42nd District

Kathy Tran (D)

Lolita Mancheno-Smoak (R)

43rd District

Mark Sickles (D) incumbent, unopposed

44th District

Paul Krizek (D) incumbent, unopposed

45th District

Mark Levine (D) incumbent, unopposed

46th District

Charniele Herring (D) incumbent, unopposed

47th District

Patrick Hope (D) incumbent, unopposed

48th District

Rip Sullivan (D) incumbent, unopposed

49th District

Alfonso Lopez (D) incumbent

Adam Roosevelt (R)

53rd District

Marcus Simon (D) incumbent

Mike Case (I)

67th District

Karrie Delaney (D)

Jim LeMunyon (R) incumbent

86th District

Jennifer Boysko (D) incumbent

Linda Schulz (R)

Fairfax County School Bonds on Ballot

Voters will vote yes or no on a $315 million public school bond referendum on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. If approved by voters, the Fairfax County Public Schools' current plans to use this bond money are to plan and/or construct two new elementary schools, one in Fairfax/Oakton area and another in the northwest county area; relocate one modular building; plan additions at three existing high schools to add capacity at Madison, Stuart and West Potomac; plan and/or construct renovations of 10 elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools.

See www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/facilities-planning-future/2017-school-bond-referendum.

Fairfax County Office of Elections:

For more information on voting in Fairfax County:

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections

Voter Registration: 703-222-0776, TTY 711

Absentee Fax: 703-324-3725

Email: voting@fairfaxcounty.gov

Election Officer Info: 703-324-4735, TTY 711

In the City of Alexandria:

Alexandria Sheriff

Dana Lawhorne (D)* running unopposed

Alexandria Commonwealth's Attorney

Bryan Porter (D)* running unopposed

CONTACT Alexandria Elections office

Call 703-746-4050, TTY 703-838-5056.

https://www.alexandriava.gov/Elections

In Arlington:

Arlington County Board

Erik Gutshall (D)

Audrey R. Clement (I)

Charles A. McCullough II (I)

Arlington School Board

M. D. “Mike” Webb (I)

Monique C. O’Grady (I)

Alison Priscilla Dough (I)

CONTACT:

Arlington Voter Registration and Elections

2100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 320, Arlington, VA 22201

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays

vote.arlingtonva.us

Phone: 703-228-3456

TTY: 703-228-4611

FAX (main): 703-228-3659

Fax (absentee applications): 703-228-3705