With less than one week until Election Day, Virginia residents will head to the ballot box to cast their votes for three statewide offices that will determine whether the executive branch remains under Republican control.
Democrats are testing Virginia’s high-stakes election as a bellwether to see if they can wrest power from Republicans in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections. In the meantime, voters will decide the fate of Virginia’s politics at the state level.
Here’s everything to know about voting in Virginia on Tuesday.
Who is on the ballot?
The offices of governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, and all 100 seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates are up for grabs this election cycle.
In the gubernatorial race, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA) is running against former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger. The victor will succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) once his term ends in January 2026. No Virginia governor can serve consecutive terms due to the state constitution.
Meanwhile, Republican nominee John Reid and Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi are vying to replace Earle-Sears as lieutenant governor once her term expires. The lieutenant governor presides over the Virginia Senate, where the official can cast tiebreaking votes and can step in if the governor cannot serve for whatever reason.
As for the attorney general race, Republican incumbent Jason Miyares is seeking to hold on to his post against a bid from Democratic nominee Jay Jones. This contest has arguably drawn equal, if not more, attention than the gubernatorial race in large part due to a texting scandal involving Jones.
Earlier this month, the former Democratic delegate’s campaign was roiled by a report disclosing that, as a delegate in 2022, he wished death upon the Republican House speaker and his family. Republicans immediately capitalized on the controversy to benefit them politically in the election’s final stretch.
Spanberger softly condemned Jones’s violent rhetoric but declined to distance herself from him. Jones refused to drop out despite Republican calls for him to do so.
Where are the polling locations?
Hundreds of polling locations are set up across Virginia’s 95 counties and 38 independent cities. To find your closest polling place, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Those in line by 7 p.m. will be able to cast their votes.
Is voter registration over?
While the registration period for the general election ended on Friday, same-day voter registration is still available for Virginia residents through Election Day.
The same-day registration process is relatively new to Virginia. It was first implemented during the 2022 election cycle after the Virginia General Assembly approved the legislation.
Same-day voter registration means a Virginia citizen must register to vote in person at a polling location and immediately cast a provisional ballot. Once election officials can confirm the voter’s eligibility, the provisional ballot will be added to the tally of regular ballots.
To register on the same day as voting, one must meet the requirements listed on the webpage run by the Virginia Department of Elections.
When does early voting end?
The period for early, in-person voting in Virginia ends Saturday. It started Sept. 19.
After that, voters will be able to cast their ballots on Tuesday, the final day for voting.
What are the driving issues?
Among the issues driving the state election are affordability and transgender policies in public schools.
Rising energy costs are particularly concerning voters. Electricity prices surged by about 6.2% for the year ending in August, more than double the rate of annual inflation, at 3%. Earle-Sears blames the significant price increase on renewable energy policies, while Spanberger says she will lower energy costs by increasing local energy generation with advanced technologies and prevent data centers from driving up energy costs for consumers.
Virginia is now considered the data center capital of the world because of its rapid adoption of the infrastructure, which requires a vast amount of electricity.
On the transgender issue, Earle-Sears has attacked Spanberger over the inclusion of transgender-identifying biological males in women’s sports, restrooms, and locker rooms as the Democratic candidate dodges the subject and says the issue should be handled locally.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUES DOMINATING THE VIRGINIA ELECTION
While not necessarily on the ballot, the government shutdown is at the top of voters’ minds as the Senate has failed to pass the House GOP-backed “clean” continuing resolution for the past month.
Virginia Democrats’ entrance in the nationwide redistricting fight with Republicans has also been an issue that both Earle-Sears and Spanberger have addressed as the election nears.