Announcements
- The next meeting of the Winchester Electoral Board will be Tuesday, October 24 at 5:30 at the Office of Elections. Meetings are open to the public.
- ATTENTION VOTERS of the ROLLING HILLS PRECINCT of the Fourth Ward: The Election Day Polling Location for the Rolling Hills Precinct is moving to the Youth Development Center, 3 Battaile Drive, Winchester. Voting will no longer happen at Victory Church, 2870 Middle Road.
- The next Election is the November 7, 2023 General & Special Election.
- The Electoral Board will begin its official meeting to canvass the results of the November 7, 2023 election on Wednesday, November 8 at 1pm. Absentee ballots arriving in the mail and the cure process of absentee ballots will continue through noon Monday, November 13, requiring the official Canvass Meeting to continue until through Monday, November 13. The Electoral Board’s adjudication of provisional ballots, part of the Canvass process, will also continue through this period.
November 7, 2023 General & Special Election Deadlines:
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Friday, September 22 | Absentee Voting begins. Early In-Person voting is available during business hours, M-F, 8:30am-4:30 pm through the Early Voting season. Additional voting hours are on the two Saturdays immediately preceding Election Day. (See below.) The mailing of absentee ballots also begins on this day. |
| Monday, October 16 | Last day to register to vote in order to vote in the November 7 Election |
| Friday, October 27, by 5 pm | Last day to request (via online, fax, or mail) an absentee ballot issued to you by mail |
| Saturday, October 28 | Office of Elections has Saturday hours for In-Person Absentee Voting, 8:30 am-4:30pm |
| Saturday, November 4 | LAST DAY to vote early (absentee in-person). Early Voting ENDS AT 5:00 PM |
| Saturday, November 4 | Office of Elections - Saturday hours, 8:30 - 5 pm, for In-Person Absentee Voting. |
| Tuesday, November 7 | ELECTION DAY. Polls are open 6 am-7 pm. Absentee Ballots returned by mail must be POSTMARKED. |
| Wednesday, Nov 8, 1 pm | Winchester Electoral Board begins official Canvass Meetings and continues through Tuesday, November 14 |
| Monday, November 13, 12:00 noon | Absentee Ballots postmarked on/by November 7 must be received in order to be counted |
| Completed absentee ballots may be returned by mail or dropped at Winchester City’s only drop-box at the Office of Elections, 107 N. East Lane, Winchester. Absentee ballots may also be dropped at your Winchester City polling place on Election Day before 7 pm. Note that your completed ballot must be placed into Envelope B, signed, and sealed. It is HIGHLY recommended that it then be placed into the stamped return envelope pre-addressed to the Office of Elections, City of Winchester, 107 N. East Lane, Winchester, VA. | |
What's on the ballot this November 2023?
- Senate of Virginia (4-year term)
- Virginia House of Delegates (2-year term)
- Sheriff - (Special Election for unexpired term to end December 31, 2025)
- Soil & Water Directors representing Winchester (4-year term)
View the sample ballot for each of Winchester's Precincts.
First Ward: Merrimans Precinct Sample Ballot
First Ward: Old Town Precinct Sample Ballot
Second Ward: Virginia Avenue Precinct Sample Ballot
Third Ward: War Memorial Precinct Sample Ballot
Fourth Ward: Frederick Douglass Precinct Sample Ballot
Fourth Ward: Rolling Hills Precinct Sample Ballot
Future Elections:
For additional election schedule information, click on the Election Calendar tab to the right or call 540-545-7910 for more information.
As of July 1, 2020, identification presented when voting no longer needs to be a photo ID, but does need to be an acceptable ID. CLICK HERE for a list of acceptable IDs.
Redistricting
Statewide, district lines were redrawn by the Virginia Supreme Court in the winter of 2021-2022. This always follows the decennial census.
In May 2022, Voter Registration Notices were mailed to all registered voters (over 18,000) in Winchester, due to Redistricting. Some voters (not most) will notice a change in their polling place, or where they vote on Election Day. This is one of many steps in maintaining the accuracy of voter registration records in Winchester. For more information, contact the Office of Elections & Voter Registration at 540-545-7910 or at vote@winchesterva.gov. Additional similar notification letters were sent by the Virginia Department of Elections in September 2022.
To view maps of the new Congressional, Virginia Senate, and House of Delegates districts that now contain the city of Winchester, click the following links:
Congressional District - House of Representatives District 6
Virginia House of Delegates District 32
Vote-By-Mail Information:
Click here for the Virginia Department of Elections web page on Absentee Voting and to apply for an Absentee Ballot ONLINE; OR to PRINT YOUR OWN Vote-By-Mail / Absentee Application, click HERE.
Print the form, complete it, and mail it to Office of Elections, 107 N East Lane, Winchester, VA 22601. Voters now have the option of joining the permanent absentee list in order to receive Vote-By-Mail (absentee) ballots for future elections. (Downloading and printing Absentee Ballot Application is an alternative to online submission at elections.virginia.gov)
For additional information, click Absentee Voting Tab.
How can I track my ballot after I send it back?
Visit this website: https://v2.ballotscout.org/winchester-city/search
Military & Overseas Voters
Check Your Voter Registration
Check your voter registration status and submit changes at www.vote.virginia.gov.
Office of Elections and Voter Registration
The Elections and Voter Registrar's office is committed to providing qualified citizens living in the City of Winchester the opportunity to register to vote in a professional, courteous, and non-partisan manner. We are dedicated to helping each citizen exercise his or her right to vote in an efficient and equitable fashion in accordance with election laws and the Constitution of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Office Hours
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
|
Monday-Friday |
8:30 am-4:30 pm |
|
For In-Person Absentee Voting, the Saturday immediately preceding any election |
8:30 am-5:00 pm |
| For In-Person Absentee Voting, the second Saturday preceding any election | 8:30 am-4:30 pm |
Director of Elections & General Registrar of Voters
Elizabeth Martin
107-A N. East Lane
Winchester, VA 22601
(540) 545-7910
Fax (540) 545-7925
Email
Electoral Board Members
- Geoff Lukens, Chairman
- Jody Elson, Secretary
- Eric Chrisman, Vice-Chairman
