Democratic Party primaries in Virginia, 2020

Elections in Virginia, 2020

• Primary date: June 23
• Primary type: Open
• Registration deadline(s): May 26
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No

• Early voting starts: Pending
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): June 23 (return by)
• Voter ID: Photo ID
• Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

---

Date of Virginia presidential primary: March 3

---

On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Special state legislative • Local judges • State ballot measures • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • 

2022 → ← 2018

Democratic Party primaries, 2020

Primary Date

June 23, 2020

Primary Runoff Date

N/A

Federal elections

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate

Democratic primaries for U.S. House

State party

Democratic Party of Virginia

State political party revenue

This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Virginia on June 23, 2020. Click here for more information about the Republican primaries.

Note that the dates and terms of participation for presidential preference primaries and caucuses sometimes differ from those that apply to primaries for state-level and other federal offices, which are the subject of this article. For more information on this state's presidential nomination process, click here.

Federal elections

U.S. Senate

See also: United States Senate election in Virginia, 2020 (June 23 Democratic primary)

The 2020 U.S. Senate elections in Virginia took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected one candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate.

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Mark Warner (Incumbent) ✔

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Virginia, 2020 (June 23 Democratic primaries)

The 2020 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Virginia took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected 11 candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's 11 congressional districts

District 1

 Democratic primary candidates

• Qasim Rashid ✔ 
• Vangie Williams

Did not make the ballot:

• Thomas Cox
• John Easley
• Kevin Washington

---

= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 2

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Elaine Luria (Incumbent) ✔

Did not make the ballot:

• Joseph Mota

District 3

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Robert C. Scott (Incumbent) ✔

District 4

 Democratic primary candidates

• Aston Donald McEachin (Incumbent) ✔
• R. Cazel Levine 

---

= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 5

 Democratic primary candidates

• Roger Dean Huffstetler
• John Lesinski 
• Claire Russo
• Cameron Webb ✔

Did not make the ballot:

• Shadi Ayyas
• Kim Daugherty

---

= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 6

 Democratic convention candidates

• Nicholas Betts ✔ 

---

= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 7

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Abigail Spanberger (Incumbent) ✔

District 8

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Donald Sternoff Beyer Jr. (Incumbent) ✔

District 9

 Democratic convention candidates

The Democratic Party convention was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

Did not make the ballot:

• Cameron Dickerson

District 10

 Democratic primary candidates

This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:

• Jennifer Wexton (Incumbent) ✔

District 11

 Democratic primary candidates

• Gerald Edward Connolly (Incumbent) ✔
• Zainab Mohsini 

---

= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

Context of the 2020 elections

Virginia Party Control: 1992-2025
Four years of Democratic trifectas  •  Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	S	S	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	S	S	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	R	R	D	D

State party overview

See also: Democratic Party of Virginia

State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic state party affiliates.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Virginia utilizes an open primary process in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Virginia, all polls open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Virginia, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Virginia, and at least 18 years of age.

Registration can be completed online, in person at a local voter registration office, or by mail. Voters can also register at the following locations:

“	State or local government offices when applying or re-certifying for Aid to Dependent Children, Food Stamps, WIC, Medicaid, or Rehabilitation Services Government offices in the state that provide state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities Armed forces recruitment offices Public libraries Virginia Department of Elections office Department of Motor Vehicles offices Voter registration drives	”
—Virginia Department of Elections

The deadline to register is the 11th day before a primary or general election, but a voter may register to voter after this deadline through the state's same-day registration system and vote a provisional ballot.

Automatic registration

On April 12, 2020, Governor Ralph Northam (D) signed SB219 into law, establishing automatic voter registration for individuals conducting business with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Virginia has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Virginia allows same-day voter registration in-person at local registrars' offices, satellite early voting sites during the early voting period, and at the precinct on Election Day.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Virginia, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Virginia does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who makes a materially false statement may be "sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, or up to 12 months in jail and/or fined up to $2,500."

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

This page, run by the Virginia Department of elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

According to the Virginia Department of Elections website, voters must present identification or sign a statement, subject to felony penalties, that they are the named registered voter who they claim to be. Voters who do not have identification and do not sign a statement must vote a provisional ballot.

The following documents were considered acceptable identification for voting as of October 2025. Click here for the Virginia Department of Elections' page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

• Virginia driver's license, current or expired
• Virginia DMV-issued ID card, current or expired. An electronic version is accepted only if it is through the "Virginia mID" app
• Valid employee ID, containing a photo, issued by the voter's employer (public or private) in ordinary course of business
• U.S. Military ID
• Valid student ID issued by a public or private high school or institution of higher education in Virginia, with or without a photograph. Accepted in electronic form only if it is an officially adopted method of issuing a student ID by the institution.
• Valid U.S. passport or passport card
• ID card issued by the federal government or a state or local government body.
• Voter ID card issued by the Department of Elections
• Voter confirmation documents
• Valid tribal enrollment or ID issued by one of the 11 tribes recognized by Virginia
• Government nursing home resident ID
• Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck containing the name and address of the voter. The document cannot be more than 12 months old and is acceptable in physical or electronic form.
• Any other current government document containing the name and address of the voter
• Signed ID Confirmation Statement

Early voting

Virginia permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

All Virginia voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail. There are no special requirements to be eligible to vote absentee/by mail. Voters may request an absentee ballot online or complete a paper absentee ballot request form and return it to their local voter registration office by mail, fax, or email. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. at least 11 days before Election Day.

Completed ballots must be returned to the local registrar's office or an official drop off location by 7 p.m. on Election Day. If mailed, completed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within three days of the election in order to be counted.

On April 12, 2020, Governor Ralph Northam (D) signed HB1 and SB111 into law, establishing no-excuse absentee voting 45 days prior to an election. The legislation was in effect for the November 3, 2020 election.

On the same day, Northam also signed HB238 and SB455, providing for absentee ballots postmarked on or before the date of an election to be counted if received by noon on the third day after the election.

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 133 Virginia counties—3.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County	Trump margin of victory in 2016	Obama margin of victory in 2012	Obama margin of victory in 2008
Buckingham County, Virginia	11.28%	2.43%	0.87%
Caroline County, Virginia	5.02%	8.24%	11.97%
Essex County, Virginia	2.14%	7.30%	10.35%
Nelson County, Virginia	5.59%	2.72%	9.15%
Westmoreland County, Virginia	7.14%	6.95%	10.24%

Note: Although it is highlighted in the map above, the city of Chesapeake is not considered a county and not included in our calculations as such.

In the 2016 presidential election, Virginia was a battleground state. Hillary Clinton (D) won Virginia with 49.7 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 44.4 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic three times (2008, 2012, and 2016) and Republican two times (2000 and 2004).

See also

2020 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

Coronavirus Weekly Updates Documenting America's Path to Recovery The Heart of the Primaries The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic