Richmond, Virginia, Casino Measure (November 2023)

Richmond Casino Measure
	Election date; November 7, 2023
	Topic; Local gambling
	Status; Defeated
	Type; Referral

Richmond Casino Measure was on the ballot as a referral in Richmond on November 7, 2023. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported permitting a casino gaming establishment called the Richmond Grand Resort and Casino.

A "no" vote opposed permitting a casino gaming establishment called the Richmond Grand Resort and Casino.

Election results

Richmond Casino Measure
Result	Votes	Percentage
Yes	25,615	38.09%
No	41,629	61.91%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Casino Measure was as follows:

“

Casino Gaming

Shall casino gaming be permitted at a casino gaming establishment in the City of Richmond, Virginia, at 2001 Walmsley Boulevard and 4700 Trenton Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23234 as may be approved by the Virginia Lottery Board?

”

Background

On November 2, 2021, voters in Richmond, Virginia, rejected a ballot measure to authorize the construction of a casino, which would have been called the ONE Casino + Resort. Less than 1,500 votes decided the ballot measure, with 50.95% voting 'No'.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Virginia

The Richmond City Council voted 8 to 1 on June 12, 2023, to refer the proposal to the ballot.^[1]

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Virginia

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Virginia.

How to vote in Virginia

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.^[2]

Registration

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.^[3]

Registration can be completed online, in person at a local voter registration office, or by mail. Voters can also register at the following locations:^[3]

“	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^[4]	”
—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.^[3]^[5]

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.^[6]

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.^[3]

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."^[7]

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.^[8] 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."^[9]^[10]

The following documents were considered acceptable identification for voting as of May 2023:^[9]

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

Footnotes

↑ NBC 12, "Richmond city council votes to revive casino project, have residents vote again," June 12, 2023
↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Election and Voter FAQ," accessed May 3, 2023
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 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
↑ 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."
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 Voter identification, "Voting on Election Day," accessed May 3, 2023
↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Voting on Election Day," accessed May 3, 2023

[1] NBC 12, "Richmond city council votes to revive casino project, have residents vote again," June 12, 2023

[voterfaq-2] Virginia Department of Elections, "Election and Voter FAQ," accessed May 3, 2023

[vareg-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Virginia Department of Elections, "How to Register," accessed May 3, 2023 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "vareg" defined multiple times with different content

[quotedisclaimer-4] Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[sameday-5] Virginia Department of Elections, "Same-Day Voter Registration," accessed May 12, 2025

[northam-6] Office of the Governor of Virginia, "Governor Northam Signs Sweeping New Laws to Expand Access to Voting," April 12, 2020

[7] Virginia Department of Elections, "Virginia Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024

[8] 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."

[idlist-9] 9.0 ^9.1 Voter identification, "Voting on Election Day," accessed May 3, 2023

[voed-10] Virginia Department of Elections, "Voting on Election Day," accessed May 3, 2023

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Richmond Casino Measure

Election date November 7, 2023
Topic Local gambling
Status Defeated
Type Referral

	v • e State of Virginia Richmond (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? \| Elections in 2025 \| How to vote \| How to run for office \| Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? \| U.S. President \| U.S. Congress \| Federal courts \| State executives \| State legislature \| State and local courts \| Counties \| Cities \| School districts \| Public policy

Richmond, Virginia, Casino Measure (November 2023)

Contents

Election results

Text of measure

Ballot title

Background

Path to the ballot

How to cast a vote

Poll times

Registration

Automatic registration

Online registration

Same-day registration

Residency requirements

Verification of citizenship

Verifying your registration

Voter ID requirements

See also

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

SITE NAVIGATION