Explainer Civic life · Virginia
Virginia’s November election: the dates to put on your calendar
Early voting starts September 18. Check registration, local arrangements and the status of election results using official sources.
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Dates to put on your calendar
Virginia’s general and special elections are scheduled for November 3, 2026. Early in-person voting begins September 18 and continues through 5 p.m. on October 31.
These are statewide dates; the hours and locations available to an individual voter still need a local check. This explainer reflects official calendars checked September 7, 2026.
October 23 is the published deadline to register or update an existing registration ahead of the election. It is also the deadline to request a mailed ballot: the registrar must receive that application by 5 p.m.
A request deadline is different from the deadline for returning a completed ballot, so readers should follow the instructions supplied with their ballot rather than treating the two dates as interchangeable.
Virginia also provides an in-person registration and provisional-ballot option after October 23 through Election Day. Anyone who has moved, changed a name or is unsure of registration status should check the official Citizen Portal and contact the registrar about the applicable process.
Check your local arrangements and ballot
Pittsylvania County publishes its own election calendar, including the early-voting period and mailed-ballot request deadline. Checking both the state and county pages helps separate statewide requirements from local arrangements.
The ballot also depends on where a voter lives. A list of every Virginia contest is not a personalized sample ballot.
Use official lookup resources for the offices, candidates and questions that apply to your address.
Election-night totals should retain their status labels. Virginia explains that results become official after certification by the responsible electoral board.
A changing count is not the same as a certified outcome.
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Sources & verification
Primary source for November 3 election, early-voting dates, registration and mailed-ballot application deadlines; checked September 7, 2026.
Read the sourceCounty election schedule corroborates the statewide dates; checked September 7, 2026. Verify local hours directly.
Read the sourceExplains unofficial versus certified results and makes election-specific JSON available; checked September 7, 2026.
Read the sourceThis article was written with AI assistance from the linked sources. No firsthand interview or visit is implied. Source dates and limits are identified in the reporting. Advertising does not determine editorial coverage. Request a correction or read our standards.
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