Republican Party primaries in Virginia, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 15
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| Republican Party primaries, 2018 |
 |
| Primary Date |
| June 12, 2018 |
| Federal elections |
| Republican primary for U.S. Senate |
| Republican primaries for U.S. House |
| State elections |
| Republican primaries for Virginia legislature |
| State party |
| Republican Party of Virginia |
| State political party revenue |
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on the party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Republican Party's legislative record during Donald Trump’s presidency figured into several Republican primaries. This record included the passage of major tax legislation in December 2017 and the confirmation of federal judges. It also included a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill in March 2018, which Trump opposed, and unsuccessful efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.[1][2]
Trump, himself, also played a role in Republican primaries. His approval rating reached 90% in June among self-described Republicans, according to a Gallup survey.[3] Many Republican candidates campaigned on their support for Trump, and negative ads accusing opponents of criticizing the president were common.[4][5][6] A May report found Trump's name or image had appeared in 37% of all Republican campaign ads at that point in 2018.[7]
This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in Virginia on June 12, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Battleground primaries
Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.
- United States Senate election in Virginia (June 12, 2018 Republican primary)
- Virginia's 6th Congressional District election (May 19, 2018 Republican convention)
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
U.S. House
District 1
Republican primary candidates
- Robert J. Wittman (Incumbent) ✔
District 2
Republican primary candidates
- Scott Taylor (Incumbent) ✔
- Mary Jones
District 3
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
District 4
Republican primary candidates
Did not make the ballot:
District 5
Republican primary candidates
This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
Did not make the ballot:
- Thomas Garrett (Incumbent)
District 6
Republican convention candidates
Note: The 6th Congressional District Republican Committee held a nominating convention on May 19, 2018.[8]
- Ben Cline
[9] - Cynthia Dunbar[10]
- Mike Desjadon[11]
- Chaz Haywood[12]
- Ed Justo[13]
- Kathryn Lewis[14]
- Elliot Pope[11]
- Douglas Wright[11]
- Declined to run
- Bob Goodlatte (Incumbent)[15]
District 7
Republican primary candidates
- David Brat (Incumbent) ✔
District 8
Republican primary candidates
This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
District 9
Republican primary candidates
- H. Morgan Griffith (Incumbent) ✔
District 10
Republican primary candidates
- Barbara Comstock (Incumbent) ✔
- Shak Hill
District 11
Republican primary candidates
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
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).
State 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: Republican Party of Virginia
State political party revenue
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 maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Virginia was one of five states to hold a primary election on June 12, 2018.
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.[16][17]
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.[18]
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.[19]
Registration can be completed online, in person at a local voter registration office, or by mail. Voters can also register at the following locations:[19]
| “ |
|
” |
| —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.[19][21]
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.[22]
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.[19]
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
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."[23]
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.[24] 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. 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 Department of Elections website, "All voters casting a ballot in-person will be asked to show one form of identification. Any voter who does not present acceptable identification may instead sign a statement, subject to felony penalties, that they are the named registered voter who they claim to be. Any voter who does not present acceptable identification or sign this statement must vote a provisional ballot."[25][26]
The following documents were considered acceptable identification for voting as of May 2023:[25]
- Virginia driver's license or DMV-issued ID card
- Valid employee ID, containing a photo, issued by the voter's employer in ordinary course of business
- U.S. military ID
- Valid student ID, containing a photo, issued by any public or private school college, or university
- Valid student ID issued by a public or private school high school, college, or university in Virginia (with or without a photo)
- Valid U.S. passport or passport card
- ID card issued by the federal government or a Virginia state or local authority.
- 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 in Virginia
- Government nursing home resident ID
- 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.[27][28]
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.[27]
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.[22]
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.[22]
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
| Federal primaries in Virginia | State primaries in Virginia | Virginia state party apparatus | Virginia voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Footnotes
- ↑ ‘’National Review’’, “Trump Is Not Blameless in the Spending-Bill Disaster,” March 28, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "A New Guide to the Republican Herd," August 26, 2012
- ↑ Gallup, "Trump Job Approval Slips Back to 41%," June 25, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "Trump hurdle looms large in Florida GOP governor primary," July 30, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "These 2018 Primaries Are Worth Watching," July 25, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Republican primary candidates have one goal: Securing Trump’s endorsement or denying it to an opponent," July 25, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "Donald Trump once divided Republicans; ads for midterms signal that's no longer true," May 17, 2018
- ↑ The News Virginian, "Cline wins Republican nomination for 6th congressional district seat," May 19, 2018
- ↑ WHSV 3, "Delegate Ben Cline announces run for Goodlatte's seat in Congress," November 9, 2017
- ↑ WHSV 3, "Cynthia Dunbar running for Goodlatte's seat in Congress," November 9, 2017
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 WHSV, "Eight Republicans seek 6th district nomination," January 18, 2018
- ↑ News Leader, "Harrisonburg Republican joins 6th District race," November 21, 2017
- ↑ Email submission to Ballotpedia, January 3, 2018
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 The News & Advance, "More GOP candidates emerge in contest for Goodlatte's 6th District seat," January 3, 2018
- ↑ Congressman Bob Goodlatte, "Goodlatte: It’s An Honor to Serve You," November 9, 2017
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections,"Casting a Ballot," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Election and Voter FAQ," accessed May 3, 2023
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Virginia Department of Elections, "How to Register," accessed May 3, 2023 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "vareg" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Same-Day Voter Registration," accessed May 12, 2025
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Office of the Governor of Virginia, "Governor Northam Signs Sweeping New Laws to Expand Access to Voting," April 12, 2020
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Virginia Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Voter identification, "Voting on Election Day," accessed May 3, 2023
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Voting on Election Day," accessed May 3, 2023
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Virginia Department of Elections, "Absentee and Early Voting," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Virginia Absentee Ballot Application Form,"accessed October 7, 2024
