Virginia residents can now register and vote on the same day

If you missed the Oct. 17 voter registration deadline for the Nov. 8 election, you can still register and vote.

Under a law passed by the Virginia General Assembly this year, people can register and vote on the same day – on Election Day or in person at early voting sites.

Voters who take advantage of “same–day registration” will vote a provisional ballot. That means their ballot will be counted after the local registrar views available lists of registered voters to confirm the voter’s eligibility to register.

Provisional ballots are not processed by a vote-counting machine at the time of voting. They will instead be subject to approval by the local electoral board after Election Day.

Related story: Voting starts Oct. 27 at satellite locations

Voters will be notified of the date, time, and place when the electoral board will make a decision on their provisional ballot.

If the voter registration application is approved, the ballot will be counted. If it’s denied, the voter will receive written notice from the registrar.

People taking advantage of same-day registration and want to vote on Election Day (Nov. 8) must go to the polling place for the precinct where they live. Look up your polling place here.