Voting

The League of Women Voters^®
of the Fairfax Area (LWVFA)

Absentee Voting. Where to Vote. Polling Hours. ID Requirements.

Absentee Voting

Absentee Voting in Person:
Registered voters may apply for, and vote, an absentee ballot in person in the office of the General Registrar [in the Fairfax County Government Center] beginning 45 days before a general election, or 30 days before a primary election.
In-person absentee voting is available in all localities through the Saturday before each election day.
ABSENTEE BALLOT INFORMATION
By Mail: Application forms may be requested from the General Registrar's Office beginning ten months before the general election and are also available at registration sites and government centers. Mail applications must be received by the General Registrar at least SEVEN DAYS before an election. Voted ballots must be received in the office by 7:00 p.m. Election Day to be counted.
In Person: In-person registration is available before an election. Call the Registrar's office for ballot availability. In Fairfax County, satellite locations are available before general elections. IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTES MAY BE CAST THROUGH THE SATURDAY BEFORE EACH ELECTION DAY.
Online: Download and print the application form found at the Electoral Board and General Registrar's web site. Mail applications must be received by the General Registrar at least FIVE DAYS before an election. Voted ballots must be received in the office by 7:00 p.m. Election Day to be counted.
Fairfax Absentee Voting Locations and Schedule information is available online prior to each election.
For more information on absentee voting in Fairfax County, visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/eb or call 703-222-0776.
For information on absentee voting in the City of Fairfax, call 703-385-7890

Where to Vote

How will I know where to vote after registering?
The Registrar's Office determines eligibility and confirms acceptance of a registration application by mailing to the registrant a voter information card. The voter information card includes election districts and the name and address of the voting location. Citizens should check with the voter registrar if they are not notified within a reasonable time of the status of their voter applications.
Find your polling place online

Polling Hours

On election day when do the polls open and close?
Virginia polls are open from 6:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.

ID Requirements

Will I need to show identification (ID) to vote in Fairfax County on election day?
Yes. In Fairfax County voters are required to provide an identification (ID) to vote. Legislation adopted this year by the Virginia General Assembly requires you to provide identification (ID) at the polls (or to sign an Affirmation of Identity) in order to vote.
What is an acceptable form of Voter ID?
Acceptable forms of identification include the following:

+ Virginia voter identification card
+ Valid Virginia driver's license
+ Military ID
+ Any Federal, state or local government-issued ID
+ Employer issued photo ID card
+ Social Security card

Any voter who forgets to bring acceptable ID to the polls may still vote but, will be requested to sign, under oath, an Affirmation of Identity form affirming that he/she is the voter he/she claims to be. A voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of physical disability or an inability to read or write may, if he so requests, also be assisted in completing this statement.
New ID Requirements for Certain Voters
For persons who registered to vote in Virginia by mailing their registration applications on or after January 1, 2003, the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 requires those persons to show identification (ID) when voting for the first time in a federal election if they did not send a copy of one of these IDs with their voter registration applications. Any of the following types of ID are acceptable:

+ A current and valid photo ID (for example a driver's license);
+ Or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck that shows name and address;
+ Or another government document that shows name and address (for example a voter card).
This new federal ID requirement applies the first time a person votes in any federal election, either on the day of the election or by absentee ballot. If the voter does not present one of these forms of ID at the polls, that person can still vote, but must cast a conditional ballot. This is a paper ballot that the local electoral board counts the day after the election, after it verifies the person was qualified to vote in that precinct.
When the person votes in other elections after his or her first federal election, the regular Virginia ID requirement will apply, as it does to all other voters.
What happens if I fail to bring the acceptable identification (ID) to the polls? May I vote?
A voter who fails to bring acceptable ID to the polls may still vote after signing, under oath, an Affirmation of Identity, which is the voter's certification in writing that the name and address information provided to the election officials at the polling place is correct.
I will be out of town on election day. Can I vote absentee?
Any registered voter who expects to be away or otherwise physically unable to go to the polls on election day may request an absentee ballot.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: August 31, 2010 13:12 PDT.