Absentee voting for the Nov. 5, 2019, general election began statewide on Sept. 20. Qualified Virginia voters may vote absentee in-person at their local voter registration office or by mail.

To vote absentee, registered voters must meet one of 20 eligibility requirements listed on the Virginia Absentee Ballot Application and at elections.virginia.gov/absentee.

“If you can’t make it to the polls on Election Day, casting an absentee ballot is a great option,” said Department of Elections Commissioner Christopher Piper. Voters can request an absentee ballot online at elections.virginia.gov/absentee.

Important dates to remember for voting in the Nov. 5 general election:

• The deadline to register to vote for the November general election is Oct. 15.
• The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot by mail is 5 p.m. Oct. 29.
• In-person absentee voting is available Monday through Friday during regular voting registration office hours, and on Saturday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. To find information about your local voter registration office, visit elections.virginia.gov/vro.
• The deadline to vote absentee in-person is Nov. 2.
• The deadline for voter registration offices to receive absentee ballots is 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5.

If requesting an absentee ballot by mail, the Department of Elections advises applying as early as possible to account for any potential delays in mail delivery.

Virginia law requires voters to present an acceptable photo ID when voting in-person. For a list of acceptable forms of photo identification, or to find out how to obtain a free Virginia Voter Photo ID Card, visit elections.virginia.gov/voterid.

To find more about the November general election, visit vote.virginia.gov.