On January 6, voters in the Senate District 15 portion of Richmond will vote in a special election to succeed Ghazala Hashmi, who has been elected lieutenant governor and voters in the House District 77 portion will vote in a special election to succeed Mike Jones who has resigned to seek the Senate seat.
The candidates in the Senate race are Mike Jones (Democrat) and John Thomas (Republican).
The candidates in the House race are Charlie Schmidt (Democrat) and Richard S. Stonage Jr. (Republican).
Senate District 15
House District 77
Where the candidates stand
We sent questionnaires to the candidates. Click on the candidate to see the responses. If answers are blank, that means they haven’t replied yet.
How to keep up with Virginia politics
You can sign up for either our daily newsletter, our weekly roundup or our weekly political newsletter, West of the Capital:
Where is my polling place?
How to vote
Can I vote with an out-of-state or expired license?
Yes. If you get to your polling place without an acceptable ID, you can sign a statement affirming your identity and vote on a regular ballot, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. If your license is expired, you can still use it to vote.
How can I vote by mail in Virginia?
For June primaries: You can request a mail-in ballot for the primary election until June 14.
For fall elections: You can request a mail-in ballot for the primary election until October 24.
Request the mail-in ballot on Virginia’s election portal, or by mailing an application for an absentee ballot to your local voter registration office. You can find the address for your voter registration office on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
You can also request an absentee ballot up to 11 days until the deadline. After the deadline, only emergency absentee ballots are available until the day before the election. To qualify for an emergency absentee ballot, you need to have a serious conflict (like a work conflict, or a health issue of an immediate family member).
Can I vote early in-person?
Yes. You can vote early in-person at your local registrar’s office. You can find the location of the general registrar’s office in your jurisdiction and read more about early voting on the Virginia Department of Elections’ website.
When do polls open?
Polls will be open between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Election Day.
If you are in line by 7 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.
Can I vote from jail in Virginia?
In many cases, yes. If you do not have a felony conviction, or if the governor has restored your right to vote after a felony conviction, you can vote – even from jail. This includes if you are being detained awaiting your court date, or are in jail for a misdemeanor conviction.
If you have a felony conviction, you can petition the governor to restore your voting rights.
Not sure if you’re eligible to vote?
Check your registration status at virginia.gov.
You can also check out Virginia’s list of voter rights, and read ProPublica’s guide on voting accessibility for more information.