Every year is an election year in Virginia, and polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday for voters to cast their primary ballots in person. Democratic primary races for lieutenant governor and attorney general are on the ballot across the commonwealth, along with several nominating contests for seats in the House of Delegates and local races in the Richmond and Charlottesville areas.
Winners of Tuesday’s primaries will advance to the general election later this year.
Notably, there is no primary race for Virginia’s next governor, as Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger are the only balloted candidates. The same is true for the GOP attorney general and lieutenant governor nominees; incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares and John Reid will face the winning Democrats in the fall.
Here’s what you need to know for Tuesday, whether you are voting or simply keeping track of the results.
Who’s on the ballot?
Statewide office
The most crowded race is the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Six candidates are vying to face off against Republican John Reid, a former Richmond talk radio host, for the state’s No. 2 job.
VPM News state politics reporter Jahd Khalil talked to five of the six candidates about their qualifications for the role and what they would bring to the table as lieutenant governor (state Sen. Aaron Rouse’s campaign did not make him available):
- Former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who says his executive experience and previous statewide office make him “ready to go on day one”
- State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, who has made health care and reproductive rights issues central to her campaign
- Babur Lateef, who says his successes as the chair of Prince William County’s school board and a UVA Health executive will serve him well at the Virginia State Capitol
- Retired labor attorney and union leader Alex Bastani, who says Democrats need to stop trying to “out-Republican Republicans” and focus on workers
- Former federal prosecutor Victor Salgado, who envisions the lieutenant governorship as a “workhorse” position with real political power
Registered Democrats will also choose a nominee for attorney general. Former Norfolk Del. Jay Jones is running against Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor; the winner will take on Miyares in November.
House of Delegates
All 100 seats in the Virginia House are up for election in 2025, but only 15 districts are holding contested primaries. Just two of those have both Republican and Democratic races: the 49th and 89th House Districts, where Republican incumbent Dels. Danny Marshall and Baxter Ennis are not seeking re-election.
Races of particular interest in Central Virginia:
- District 57, where Democrats May Nivar and Andrew Schear are competing for the right to face Republican incumbent Del. David Owen in November
- District 62, where Republicans Karen Hamilton and Clay Jackson face off in a race that will determine the likely successor to departing Del. Nick Freitas
- District 72, where Democrats Randolph Critzer and Bilal Raychouni are vying for the right to take on Republican Del. Lee Ware, who has served in the House since 1998
- District 73, where Leslie Mehta — who unsuccessfully ran against US Rep. Rob Wittman (R–1st) last year — faces Justin Woodford; the winner takes on incumbent Del. Mark Earley Jr. in a district that the Virginia Public Access Project rates as “leans Republican,” but narrowly supported Democrat Kamala Harris for president in 2024
- District 75, where there is a three-person Democratic race between Lindsey Dougherty, Stephen Miller-Pitts and Dustin Wade to determine a November opponent for Del. Carrie Coyner
- District 81, where Alicia Atkins, chair of Henrico County’s school board, is seeking to unseat longtime Democratic Del. Delores McQuinn
Local races
In Richmond, Democratic voters will choose between incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin and local attorney Tom Barbour in a rematch of a 2021 primary that McEachin won handily.
Barbour, who is running on a platform of change and increased transparency around high-profile cases, has called McEachin’s approach outdated; McEachin, who has been in the office for 25 years — six as chief prosecutor — said Barbour lacks the experience necessary for the job.
Democrats in the city will also choose whether to return Sheriff Antionette Irving to office for a third term. Like McEachin, Irving is facing a familiar challenger: William Burnett, who has 32 years of experience in the Richmond City Sheriff’s Office and Richmond Police Department.
Burnett has criticized Irving’s approach to overseeing the city’s jail, but both candidates agree on several issues — including whether the sheriff’s office would cooperate with federal immigration authorities without signed judicial warrants (both say no).
In Charlottesville, Democratic voters will have their first opportunity to experience ranked choice voting, in which voters choose multiple candidates in order of preference. The city is the second Virginia locality to adopt ranked choice, after Arlington County.
Two seats on the Charlottesville City Council are open; Jen Fleisher hopes to unseat either current Mayor Juandiego Wade or Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston — who have campaigned as a joint ticket.
And in Albemarle County, Supervisor Diantha McKeel opted not to seek a fourth term as the Jack Jouett District’s representative. McKeel has endorsed substitute teacher Sally Duncan for the seat; Duncan is running against Dave Shreve, who describes himself as a longtime civil rights activist, educator and public policy specialist.
How do I know if I am registered to vote?
To check registration status online, head to the Virginia Department of Elections portal. If you believe you registered to vote but do not appear in the system, contact your local registrar’s office.
What do I need to bring to my polling location?
Virginia law requires all registered voters to show one acceptable form of ID — like a drivers license, military or student ID — to vote in person. A full list of what types of ID are valid in the commonwealth can be found on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
When are the polls open?
Polls in Virginia are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone in line at their polling station by 7 p.m. will be able to vote.
What if I am turned away from a polling location?
The Virginia Department of Elections advises that if you are turned away for any reason, ask to vote with a provisional ballot.
How can I file a voter complaint?
You can send a letter to the Virginia Department of Elections or file an informal complaint form online. To do that, visit the department’s website or send an email to [email protected].
Other questions about voting
If you’ve got a question about voting, call the state Department of Elections at 1-800-552-9745.