Early Voting Begins Jan. 19 for Presidential Primary Elections

Early voting begins Friday, Jan. 19, for the March 5 presidential primary election. 

There is a primary for the Republican and Democratic candidates for president. In Virginia, voters do not register by political party, and you may only cast a ballot in one of the presidential primary elections.

Three locations will be open for early voting on weekdays:

• Fairfax County Government Center: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Mount Vernon Governmental Center: 1 to 7 p.m.
• North County Governmental Center: 1 to 7 p.m.

These voting locations will be closed for the George Washington Day holiday on Monday, Feb. 19.

Before going to vote, please double check the hours early voting sites are open because times vary by location.

Any registered voter can cast their ballot at any early voting site. The last day to vote early is Saturday, March 2, at 5 p.m.

MORE EARLY VOTING SITES OPEN FEB. 24

An additional 13 early voting locations will be offered beginning Saturday, Feb. 24:

• Burke Centre Library
• Centreville Regional Library
• Franconia Governmental Center
• Great Falls Library
• Herndon-Fortnightly Library
• Jim Scott Community Center
• Lorton Community Center
• Mason Governmental Center
• McLean Governmental Center
• Sully Governmental Center
• Thomas Jefferson Library
• Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library
• West Springfield Governmental Center         

Weekday voting hours at these locations will be from 1 to 7 p.m. 

SATURDAY VOTING HOURS

Weekend voting will be offered at every early voting sites on two Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

• Saturday, Feb. 24 
• Saturday, March 2

WHAT TO BRING WHEN VOTING EARLY

By law, voters must show identification when they vote — but a photo ID, like a driver’s license, is no longer required. You may use as ID a copy of your:

• Current utility bill.
• Bank statement.
• Government check.
• Paycheck.
• Other government document with the voter’s name and address.

Of course, photo IDs remain an acceptable form of identification — and you can even use an expired Virginia driver’s license no matter how long ago it expired.

VOTE BY MAIL

For voters who already requested them, their absentee ballots will begin to arrive in the mail after Jan. 19.

To vote by mail, you must apply by Feb. 23 at 5 p.m., and any registered voter can absentee vote by mail without needing a reason or excuse.

The fastest and most secure way to apply is online on the Virginia Department of Elections website. You’ll also be able to track the status of your application, as well as when your ballot is mailed to you. Your Virginia driver’s license number is needed to apply online, along with the last four digits of your Social Security number.

As a result of a new state law, you must now include the last four digits of your social security number and year of birth when filling out your return envelope for your mail-in ballot. This information will be behind a mailing flap so it won't be publicly visible. Don’t forget to sign the envelope too.

If you don’t want to mail back your cast ballot, you can return it at a drop-off box at any early voting site during the hours they’re open. There also is a 24-hour secure, drop-off box available outside the Fairfax County Government Center.

MORE INFORMATION

For questions or more information, contact the Fairfax County Office of Elections at 703-222-0776, TTY 711, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.