2022 Midterm Election Voter Guide
The Midterm General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Here is everything you need to know about where, when, and how to cast your vote.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, and 13News Now has everything you need to know before you vote in Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina.
There are a number of ways you can vote in Virginia and North Carolina, and there are deadlines if you want to be able to vote by Election Day.
For voters, it's important to know where and how to both register to vote and also to check if you are registered.
Important Dates
Virginia
While most Virginians know that you'll be able to head to the polls to make your voice heard on Nov. 8, there are other important dates to keep an eye out for ahead of the big day. As always, remember to bring a valid government-issued ID.
There are also several system changes since the 2020 election. To learn more about those changes and to find out where your polling location is if you aren't sure, check out the Virginia Department of Elections website.
- Early Voting: Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 - Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022
- Voter Registration Deadline: Monday, Oct. 17, 2022 (new this year, same-day in-person voter registration is allowed up to Election Day)
- Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot: Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, by 5 p.m.
- Deadline to Return Completed Absentee Ballot: Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, by 7 p.m.
- General Election: Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.
North Carolina
- Early Voting: Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022-Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, at 3 p.m.
- Voter Registration Deadline: Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, at 5 p.m.
- Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot: Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, at 5 p.m.
- Deadline to Return Completed Absentee Ballot: Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, by 5 p.m.
- General Election: Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 from 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
What's on the ballot?
Virginia
There are no state-wide races in Virginia this year, but the U.S. House of Representatives is up for election. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Congressional Districts cover Hampton Roads.
Election Profile: Virginia's 1st Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Rob Wittman. Democrat Herb Jones and independent candidate David Foster are running against him.
Election Profile: Virginia's 2nd Congressional District is currently represented by Democrat Elaine Luria. Republican Jen Kiggans is running against Luria.
Election Profile: Virginia's 3rd Congressional District is currently represented by Democrat Bobby Scott. He is being challenged by Republican Terry Namkung.
Election Profile: Virginia's 4th Congressional District is currently represented by Democrat Don McEachin. Republican Leon Benjamin Sr. is challenging McEachin.
Additionally, there are numerous local elections for positions like city council, mayor, and school board.
Check back here as we add more election profiles leading up to Election Day.
In Virginia, there is no state-run centralized website to view sample ballots. Instead, different city and county registrars have made their sample ballots available online.
Choose your locality below to be taken to their website:
North Carolina
This year, there is an open U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina, vacated by retiring Republican Senator Richard Burr. Republican Ted Budd and Democrat Cheri Beasley are seeking to replace him.
There are two congressional races that cover northeastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks: North Carolina's 1st Congressional District and the 3rd Congressional District.
The 1st District is an open seat, as Democratic Rep. G.K. Butterfield is retiring. Republican Sandy Smith and Democrat Don Davis are running in this district.
ELECTION PROFILE: Republican Sandy Smith, Democrat Don Davis compete for House seat in North Carolina's 1st District
North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Republican Greg Murphy. Democratic candidate Barbara Gaskins is challenging Murphy.
There are also several statewide judicial elections, state legislative elections, and local elections for numerous positions like school board, mayor city council, and more.
Registered voters in North Carolina may request a sample ballot from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, containing all the races for their mail address, here to see what exactly is on their ballot this year.
Am I registered to vote?
According to the Virginia Department of Elections, to be eligible to vote in Virginia elections, people must:
- Be a permanent resident of Virginia (not just someone who is here for an extended period of time)
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be 18 years old (if someone will be 18 on the day of the general election, they can vote in the primary when they are 17)
- Not be registered and planning to vote in another state
- Must be mentally competent
- Convicted felons must have had their voting rights restored.
The Virginia Department of Elections has an online portal where you can register to vote, check your registration status, find your polling place, or apply to vote absentee by mail.
If you recently moved to North Carolina or you haven't voted in several years, the North Carolina State Board of Elections will tell you if you are registered to vote in North Carolina.
When does voter registration end?
Virginia
A new law is giving voters in Virginia more flexibility when it comes time to cast their ballot.
In the past, if a person wanted to vote in the November election, they had to make sure they were registered before a deadline that was typically set a few weeks earlier.
There is still a deadline if you want to register online for in-person or mail-in voting: it's Monday, Oct. 17.
But starting this year, Virginia is also offering same-day voter registration. That means if you go in person to cast your ballot, you can register at that time if you haven't already done so.
Same-day registration does mean you will have to vote with a provisional ballot, however, meaning elections officials will have to verify the voters' paperwork before the ballot can count.
North Carolina
The voter registration deadline in North Carolina is Friday, Oct. 14 by 5 p.m., which is 25 days before the general election.
If you are not registered in a county or miss the Oct. 14 deadline, you may still register to vote in person using same-day registration during the one-stop early voting period. That runs from Oct. 24 through Nov. 5.
Complete details on registering to vote in North Carolina and the qualifications you need to meet can be found on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
If you miss the North Carolina deadline for registering, you can still register to vote in person using same-day registration in your county from Oct. 20 through Nov. 5. More information on same-day registration is on the NCBE website.
North Carolina voters are not required to show a photo ID. If you are a DMV customer with an N.C. driver’s license or DMV-issued ID, you may now register to vote or change certain parts of your registration online.
Where can I vote in person?
Your polling place is based on the address you used to register to vote.
The Virginia Department of Elections has an online portal where you can register to vote, check your registration status, find your polling place, or apply to vote absentee by mail.
To find your polling location in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Board of Elections has a polling place search database.
Can I vote by absentee ballot?
All registered voters in Virginia and North Carolina can submit absentee ballots for the general election.
Virginia
Any registered voter in Virginia can request a "no-excuse" absentee ballot and vote from home in the general election. Ballots can be requested one of three ways: online, by mail, or in person by Oct. 28.
When requesting a ballot online, voters need to visit the election department’s citizen portal, email or fax a completed application form to the local registrar’s office.
If requesting a ballot through the mail, voters must complete an application form and send it to the local registrar’s office. The application can be downloaded or voters can call the registrar’s office to request a form be sent to them.
When requesting a ballot in person, voters simply need to submit a completed application to the local registrar’s office.
Completed ballots must include a witness's signature before they are returned by mail or in person.
North Carolina
The deadline to request an absentee ballot in North Carolina is Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, no later than 5 p.m. No special circumstance or reason is needed to receive and vote a mail-in absentee ballot.
Details about how to obtain an English or Spanish-language absentee ballot by mail on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website. You can also obtain an absentee ballot online through the DMV here.
In 2020, NCSBE debuted a new online portal where registered voters can request an absentee-by-mail ballot entirely online.
Can I vote early?
During early voting, voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county, and would-be voters may same-day register and vote.
Virginia
Commonwealth residents may vote in person early from Sept. 23 through Nov. 5 for the general election. Polling places will be open until 5 p.m.
In-person early voting will be held at your local registrar's office. Don't forget to bring a valid government-issued ID.
To find a polling place near you, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website.
North Carolina
The early voting period for the 2022 general election in North Carolina begins Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, and ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022.
Registered voters in North Carolina may cast an absentee ballot in person during this time. This period is sometimes called “one-stop early voting.”
Search for early voting sites in your county through the North Carolina State Board of Elections website here.
How do I check that my ballot was counted?
Virginia
- Check the status of your ballot here.
North Carolina
- Check the status of your provisional ballot here.
- Check the status of your absentee ballot here.
WCNC contributed to this guide