Voter Registration & Elections

Election Information

Voter Information

Voters can check their registration status using the online Citizen Portal or by calling our office. Most voters who wish to register for the first time or update their registration can complete the process online. Please contact our office if you would like to request a paper voter registration application (PDF).  

As of July 1, 2020, voters no longer need a reason to apply for a mail ballot. Voters with a Virginia DMV-issued ID may apply online for a mail ballot.  If you do not have a Virginia DMV-issued ID, you can print the mail ballot application (PDF). Upon completion you can mail, email, or fax (434-970-3249) the application to our office. Voters may also call us to request that a paper application be mailed to them. Ballots start going out about 45 days prior to the election. Once your ballot has been mailed, you can follow its progress through the United States Postal Service by using Ballot Scout.

Accessibility 

Every qualified voter has the right to vote. In Charlottesville, we have many options to choose from to ensure that each voter has full access to a private ballot, completed in the manner of their choosing.

These options include:

1. Touch Writer: This is our ADA accessible ballot marking device. The voter may use the touchscreen to mark a ballot, with or without an audio readout option, and it also has an external controller device to assist those who are unable to access the touchscreen. The ballot is then printed onto ballot paper, and the voter places the completed ballot in the scanner.
2. Screen Reader Assistive Technology: This option is for print disabled absentee voters who wish to print out a ballot with their options marked. The General Registrar will email the blank ballot to the voter and send return envelopes via USPS. The voter will be required to print out and mail the completed ballot back with the envelopes issued from the General Registrar.
3. Curbside Voting (from your vehicle): This option is always available to those with a disability, limited mobility, or anyone over the age of 65.
4. Assistance Request: Any voter requiring assistance may receive it from a person of their choosing, whether they are voting in person or by mail. If the voter indicates they will be using an assistant to mark their ballot, the assistant must fill out a Request for Assistance form and sign it. Once the form has been completed, the assistant can mark the ballot at the discretion of the voter and either place the marked ballot in the scanner (in person) or complete the mail ballot envelope as indicated by the instructions and return it.

Becoming a Candidate

If you are interested in running for office in Virginia, please refer to the State Board of Elections website for information. Local candidates i.e. City Council, School Board can contact our office at 434-970-3250 or email with questions or to request hard copies of campaign finance forms and other reporting documents. It is imperative, before launching a campaign, that a potential candidate read the current Candidate Bulletin (PDF) provided by the Department of Elections.

Campaign Finance Reports

View electronic campaign finance reports filed with the State Board of Elections, including filings from candidates for statewide offices and House of Delegates, and for candidates for local office who choose to file electronically. Search by candidate’s name.

Public inspection files are available in our office, during office hours, containing copies of candidate qualifying documents (except petitions) filed with us by candidates for local office for the current and most recent elections. 

Parking Options

The office is next to The Ting Pavilion and across the Mall from the Transit Station. Paid parking is available in the Market Street Garage. Street parking is available on both sides of the Annex building (enter southbound from 7th Street NE and Market Street) and nearby.