Control of the Virginia General Assembly is on the table this November, with only a handful of competitive districts potentially determining whether Republicans will have a majority in both chambers of the state legislature.
Heading into Election Day, the GOP has a slim majority in the Virginia House of Representatives with 50 Republicans, 46 Democrats and four vacancies.
Meanwhile, in the Virginia Senate, Democrats have a similarly narrow majority. Of the 40 seats in the Senate, there are 22 Democrats and 18 Republicans.
With Republican Glenn Youngkin in the governor's mansion, Republicans are seeking to gain unified control, flipping the state Senate. Democrats seek to retake the House, which would strengthen their power in Richmond.
Either outcome would have significant consequences for Virginia for years to come.
Many questions about voting and elections can be answered on your local board of elections website.
Alexandria | Arlington County | City of Fairfax | Fairfax County | Falls Church | Fauquier County | Loudoun County | City of Manassas | Manassas Park | Prince William County | Stafford County
Here's what you need to know.
Vote by mail?
The deadline for request that sent an authorization by mail has already passed: it was October 27.
If you have a mail-in ballot at home, you will need to return the completed ballot to your local registrar's office by 7 pm on Election Day. You can mail your completed ballot; must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received at the recorder's office by noon on the third day after the election.
Most counties have mail-in ballot drop boxes at early voting locations and on Election Day. You can also drop off mail-in ballots at drop boxes in most counties.
Do you still need to register?
To be eligible to vote, you must be 18 years old or turn 18 by November 7.
The deadline to register (or update your existing registration) was October 16.
However, Virginia now offers same-day voter registration, even on Election Day. Voters who vote on the same day will do so using a provisional ballot. The registrar general's office will investigate your ballot in the days after the election to make sure you are eligible to vote, and your local board of elections will also review the ballot.
Can Find more information about same-day registration on the Virginia Department of Elections website .
Do you want to vote on election day?
Election Day this year is November 7 and the polls are open from 6 am to 7 pm As long as you are in line when the polls close, you can cast your vote.
You can find out where is your online polling place .
Remember to bring your ID: You will find a list of acceptable forms of identification online.
Early voting ended on Saturday, November 4.
Early voting took place from September 22 to November 4.
You need an ID to vote in person. You can find out which ones will work for you in the Virginia Department of Elections website .
Who is on the ballot?
All seats in the Virginia General Assembly are up for grabs. That means all 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates and all 40 seats in the Virginia Senate are on the ballot.
There are also several local county races that Virginia voters will find on their ballots.
In Arlington, voters are selecting two seats on the Arlington County Board and weighing in on a seat on the school board. In Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, there are important Board of Supervisors races and school board races that voters will weigh in on.
In Loudoun County, Democratic prosecutor Buta Biberaj faces Republican Bob Anderson who held the position of senior prosecutor more than 20 years ago.
You can find sample ballots on your local board of elections website.
Alexandria | Arlington County | City of Fairfax | Fairfax County | Falls Church | Loudoun County | City of Manassas | Manassas Park | Prince William County
Are there competitive local races?
There is some races to watch as parties fight for control of the General Assembly.
There are two competitive districts in the Virginia Senate and three in the House of Delegates, but several of those races are not in Northern Virginia, according to CNalysis .
Parts of Loudoun and Fauquier counties make up Senate District 31, where there is one vacant seat with no incumbent. The Republican Juan Segura is running against Democrat Russet Perry in what the Virginia Public Access Project calls a competitive race.
In western Prince William County, there is no incumbent running for the vacant House District 21 seat. Democrat Josh Thomas is running against Republican John Stirrup.
Stirrup looks familiar to some District 21 voters. He represented the Gainesville district on the County Board of Supervisors from 2003 to 2011. He took a break from politics after losing a bid for public office in 2011. Stirrup said he will run again because he is worried the direction of the country , InsideNoVa reports. .
Thomas is a lawyer and former Marine Corps officer who campaigns on issues such as housing costs and school funding.
