Registering and Voting FAQs

How do I register to vote?

• Register for the general election by Oct. 17, 2022. Or, you may call the City of Williamsburg's Director of Elections, Tina Reitzel, at 757-220-6157.  Although voter registration officially closes on October 17, if you are unregistered but decide after that date that you would like to vote, you may still do so.  You can go to your early voting site and ask to register and then vote.  They will accommodate you.  You can also go to your voting precinct on election day to register and then vote; Virginia’s new same-day voter registration provision allows you to do that.
• If you are an out of state student and would like to vote in your state, find more information on voting in your state.
• To vote in Williamsburg from another state, fill out a Virginia Voter Registration Form (pdf).
• For more resources and information, visit HeadCount and State Student Voting Guides.

Where do I go to vote?

EARLY VOTING:

• In-person early voting opens September 23, 2022 and continues through November 5, 2022.  
• City of Williamsburg voters may cast their ballots at the Registrar's Office (in Municipal Building, 401 Lafayette St.), Mondays - Fridays 8:00am - 4:30pm.
• To vote curbside at the Municipal Building, call 757-220-6157. 
• James City County voters may vote early at 4095 Ironbound Rd, behind the JCC Courthouse on Monticello Ave., between 8:00am and 5:00pm Mondays - Fridays and on Saturday, Oct. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 5 from 8:00am to 5:00pm.

VOTING ON ELECTION DAY:

• Election Day is Nov. 8, 2022
• The City of Williamsburg fire station will NOT be used as a drive-thru polling location.
• Almost all of campus votes at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church.  Matoaka Precinct voters will enter and exit through the parking lot entrance.  
• If you live in Brown Hall, Richmond Hall, Sorority Court or Tribe Square, vote at the Community Building.  Stryker Precinct voters will enter through the main door and exit through a separate door.  
• You can also find your polling place after you have registered.

How do I find information on the candidates?

• Utilize non-partisan resources, such as Ballotpedia and Vote 411, to find unbiased information on all of the candidates.
• Be sure to view a sample ballot before election day so you know what to expect. View a sample ballot on Ballotpedia.

What do I do on election day?

• Election Day is November 8, 2022.
• Set aside about 20-30 minutes out of your day to vote.
• Make sure to bring a valid ID, such as your drivers license or W&M ID.
• The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone in line before 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

How do I register to vote?

• Register for the general election by October 17, 2022. Or, you may contact the City of Williamsburg's Director of Elections, Tina Reitzel, at 757-220-6157.
• If you are an out of state student, learn about voting in your state.
• To vote in Williamsburg from another state, fill out a Virginia Voter Registration Form (pdf).

How do I request a ballot?

• The deadline to request an absentee ballot for the general election is October 28, 2022.
• If you are a Virginia resident, use request a ballot or call the City of Williamsburg's Director of Elections, Tina Reitzel, at 757-220-6157.
• If you are a resident of a different state, find more information about how to vote in your state.

How do I cast my vote?

• Review instructions for mailing your ballot on the "Instructions for Voting an Absentee Ballot" sheet, included in your envelope.
• Be sure to mail in your ballot AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, and by November 8, 2022. It must be postmarked by November 8, 2022 and received no later than November 8, 2022.
• Absentee ballots can also be returned to a dropbox outside the front doors of the Municipal Building (401 Lafayette St.)
• Check to see whether your ballot has been counted.
• If you decide that you'd rather vote in person (early or on Election Day) after requesting an absentee ballot, bring your ballot in its envelope to the in-person voting location; you may trade it for a regular ballot.