Virginia voters may get sick of hearing this, but every year is an election year in Virginia and 2022 comes with a twist to the normal election cycle. This year is the first time that candidates will be running in newly shaped election districts based on the 2020 U.S. Census data. While some districts saw tweaks around the edges, other legislative districts were shifted completely to other parts of the state.

To minimize the confusion, the Virginia REALTORS^® Government Relations team wants to give you information to make the process easier.

Who is running?
Only certain seats are up for election this year, particularly in the case of the June primary elections. You can find a list of upcoming Congressional and local government primary elections on the Department of Elections Candidate List. Some political parties choose not to participate in the state-run primary elections and hold their own contests instead. You will need to check with the respective political parties to find out more about those nomination processes.

When do I vote?
The state-run primary elections are scheduled for June 21, 2022, but early voting is currently underway. The deadline to register to vote for the primary elections is May 31st. You can register to vote or check your voter status on the Department of Elections Citizen Portal.

Where do I vote?
For the June primary elections, you will vote at your regular polling location. If you need a refresher, you can find out more information on the Department of Elections Citizen Portal.

How do I vote?
Regular voting locations will be open on June 21st from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You can also vote early in person at select locations from June 11th through June 18th. Check with your local voter registrar for details. The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is 5:00 p.m. on June 10th. Find out all the details on the Department of Elections website.

What else do I need to know?
The Virginia Public Access Project is a non-partisan, non-profit that provides tons of information on Virginia politics, including election information, voting analysis, and campaign finance reports. Be sure to check it out.

If you have questions about the June primary elections, please contact the Virginia REALTORS^® Government Relations team at advocacy@virginiarealtors.org.