HISTORIC TRIANGLE — Tuesday, Nov. 5 is Election Day. Here is some important information for voters as they head to their polling locations.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. in Virginia. Any voter who is in line at 7 p.m. is permitted to vote.
Candidates (Based on Virginia Department of Elections)
United States President/Vice President
- Democratic Nominees: Kamala D. Harris — President, Tim Walz — Vice President
- Republican Nominees: Donald J. Trump — President, JD Vance — Vice President
- Green Party Nominees: Jill E. Stein — President, Rudolph T. Ware III — Vice President
- Libertarian Nominees: Chase R. Oliver — President, Mike ter Maat — Vice President
- Independent Nominees: Claudia De la Cruz — President, Karina Garcia — Vice President
United States Senate
- Democratic Nominee: Timothy M. Kaine
- Republican Nominee: Hung Cao
House of Representatives — 1st District
- Democratic Nominee: Leslie C. Mehta
- Republican Nominee: Robert J. Wittman
City of Williamsburg City Council (Citizens can vote for up to three candidates)
- Lindsay D. Barna
- W. P. “Pat” Dent
- Alexander “Fraser” Hudgins
- Barbara L. Ramsey
- Ayanna Tiara Williams
Vote by Mail
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 5, however, it does not have to be received by the registrar’s office until noon on the Friday after Election Day (Nov. 8) in order to count. Due to concerns about the potential slowness of the post office, voters are encouraged to utilize ballot drop boxes or to physically drop off the ballots at their local registrar’s office.
Because there is a three-day grace period for mail-in, if the election is tight, there may be a wait for all of those ballots to be received by the registrars before the results of the election are known. The Virginia Department of Elections notes this is nothing to be alarmed about and does not indicate that there is a problem with the results. It simply takes time for ballots to arrive and be counted.
Notes About Election Results
- The public should not expect to have results on Election Day.
- This is the first presidential election in Virginia that has allowed same-day voter registration, and early voting has been widely adopted, so it is normal for it to take time for all of those results to be processed.
- Who is leading a race can change as ballots from different localities are reported. When ballot counting goes beyond Election Day, it is not delayed — the process is working exactly as it is intended.
- Every vote is being thoroughly examined and counted to get the most accurate results.
- Virginia has a robust election protection effort in place to ensure that every voter is able to cast their ballot.
The Virginia Department of Elections notes the Virginia Election Protection Coalition is made up of over 60 state, local, and national nonprofit organizations. The coalition has recruited, trained, and mobilized hundreds of volunteers to polling places across the Commonwealth. “These trained, nonpartisan volunteers serve as a first line of defense against voter intimidation, rampant misinformation, and needless obstacles to the ballot box. All volunteers receive thorough training and support,” it adds.
The Virginia Election Protection coalition is nonpartisan and not affiliated with any campaign or party. Volunteers submit reports from each voting location they visit, documenting the voter experience including wait times, tech problems, language and disability access, and compliance with state and federal law.
Voters who encounter any issues or have voting questions can call or text the national, nonpartisan Election Protection hotline to be connected to experts who can help, the department said.
The hotline is available in the following languages:
Every voter in Virginia has the right to vote free from intimidation, it said. Voter intimidation is illegal in Virginia, and if it is occurring, it should be reported to the police.
Important Links for More Information:
- Information on individual candidates, voting districts and district profiles can be found through the Virginia Department of Elections
- Virginia Department of Elections citizen portal
- Ballotpedia for candidate information and profiles
- Acceptable forms of voter identification
- James City County Office of Elections
- City of Williamsburg Voter Registrar
- York County Voter Registrar
