ROANOKE, Va. – Virginia voters have until Saturday to cast their early votes for the 2025 Primary election, with several key races on the ballot, including the Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General positions.
Nearly 143,000 Virginians have already participated in early voting through in-person and absentee ballots, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Here’s what early voting looks like across our five zones in person and through absentee ballots. 10 News reached out to our local voter registration offices, and these are the latest numbers:
- Lynchburg:1,036
- Craig County: 181
- Henry County: 454
- Montgomery County: 1,490
- Roanoke County: 1,127
- Roanoke City: 1,395
To participate in early voting, residents must present one of these accepted forms of identification:
- Virginia driver’s license
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Military ID
- A student ID with a photo
Past President Carolyn Rude of the League of Women Voters Montgomery County said early voting makes sure people can vote.
“They may be at work. They may have childcare responsibilities. They may not have transportation, and the early voting just is another option for voting,” said Rude.
When it comes to early voting, you probably have a lot of questions.
Rude said the League of Women Voters Montgomery County helps you register and has guides about who’s on the ballot.
“You need to have people participating in that democracy, and the most direct way to do that is to vote. The primaries are fraught. People think, ‘Well, they don’t matter as much as a general election, but in fact, the selection of a candidate at a primary time might well determine who wins a general election,” said Rude.
Another group, the Roanoke Democracy Center, offers comprehensive voter assistance, including making sure people are registered, registering people re-entering society and providing rides to the polls.
“Your vote is your voice, and sometimes all we have is our voice to show our power. There’s not any other way to express what you’re needs are, and so when you vote, I feel that you’re voting your voice, which is the power of you as an individual,” said Director and Co-Lead Bernadette Lark with Roanoke Democracy Center.
Early voting locations are open at local voter registration offices through Saturday, June 14. For those unable to vote early, the primary election takes place on Tuesday, June 17, with polls operating from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you have a mail-in ballot, it must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, June 17, and received by noon on Friday, June 20.
You can also drop it off at your voter registration office, polling place, or drop-off location by 7 p.m. on election day, June 17.