May 23 voter registration deadline for June primary

Monday, May 23, is the voter registration deadline for the June 14, 2016 primary elections.

Eligible Virginians can use the Department of Elections online voter registration system available at vote.virginia.gov to check their registration status, update their information, or to register to vote for the first time.  The online system provides a secure means for voters to conduct paperless transactions with their local voter registration office.

The paperless process requires authentication using a person’s Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) information.  Voters without DMV credentials can still use the online system, but will need to print the completed registration application and mail it to their local voter registration office.

“The Department of Elections is pleased to offer the convenience and security of online voter registration to help make voter registration more accessible for our citizens,” said Edgardo Cortés, the Commissioner of Elections.  He added, “Voters are taking advantage of this tool to make voting easier, and online voter registration is now outpacing DMV and paper applications for the first time in Virginia.”

To register to vote in Virginia or to submit name/address updates and be eligible to vote in the June 14^th primary elections, voters may:

• Register on-line at vote.virginia.gov by 11:59 PM on May 23, 2016.
• Apply in-person at their local voter registration office by 5:00pm on May 23, 2016.
• Mail a completed voter registration application to their local voter registration office or the Department of Elections with a postmark of May 23, 2016 or earlier.

While the Department of Elections encourages the use of online voter registration at vote.virginia.gov, voter registration forms are available at all DMV customer service centers, social service offices, locations that offer hunting and fishing licenses, local voter registration offices, the Department of Elections, and many other public locations such as local libraries.

To be eligible to register to vote in the June 14, 2016 primary elections, a person must:

• be a U.S. Citizen
• be a resident of Virginia
• be 18 years old on or before November 8, 2016
• have your right to vote restored if convicted of a felony
• not be currently adjudicated mentally incapacitated by a court of law.

To get more information about registering to vote, contact information for your local voter registration office, information about absentee voting, or to confirm photo IDs acceptable for voting in Virginia, visit the Department of Elections website at elections.virginia.gov, call toll-free at (800) 552-9745, or TTY 711.