A Quick Guide to Voting as a Mason Student

2024 Presidential Election: Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Click here to learn more about voting in Virginia’s 2024 presidential primaries >

General election information below will be updated after all primaries have concluded.

_________________________________________

Updated 10/13/2023:

2023 General Elections: Tuesday, November 7, 2023

On the ballot: Member, Senate of Virginia, Member, House of Delegates, Clerk of Court, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Sheriff, Chaiman Board of Supervisors, Member School Board At Large, Member Board of Supervisors, Member School Board, Soil and Water Conservation

City of Fairfax: Mayor, City Council, and School Board(City of Fairfax residents only)

Town of Clifton and Vienna: Mayor and Town Council(Town of Clifton and Vienna residents only)

Find your Fairfax County sample ballot: fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/sample-ballots

 

Virginia Voter Registration Guidelines

Click here for more information on absentee voting.

Click here to access voter forms in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean.

Click here to view current voter forms.

Click here for the most up to date information and frequently asked questions.

 

FIRST STEP: REGISTER/VERIFY

If you have already registered in Virginia:

Check your registration and confirm that you are registered at your current address, find your polling location, or update your registration online at elections.virginia.gov before Oct. 16, 2023.

If you need to register in Virginia:

Qualifications for voter registration: US Citizen, resident of Virginia, and 18 years old on or before November 7, 2023 (born on or before November 7, 2005).

Voter Registration Deadline: Monday, October 16, 2023 is the deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration. Learn more: elections.virginia.gov/registration

Online: You may submit your registration and absentee ballot requests online only, if you have a Virginia DMV record:

  • If you have a Virginia driver’s license, you can register online. Go to: elections.virginia.gov and use the secured citizen’s portal. It takes about 2 minutes to register online, you will need your Virginia driver’s license number. The last day to register or update your registration to be eligible to vote in the Nov. 7 General and Special Elections is Oct. 16 postmarked by mail or in person by 5:00 p.m., or online by 11:59 p.m.
  • If you don’t have a Virginia driver’s license, go to elections.virginia.gov to fill in the registration form, print it, sign it, and send it to the Department of Elections by mail. Your registration form must be postmarked by Oct.16, 2023.

Students living on the Mason’s Fairfax campus: You may register to vote from your campus address and provide your current resident hall name and dorm number. You will need to change this voting address when you move.

IMPORTANT NOTE for on-campus student voters in Fairfax:

Students registered at their current Fairfax campus address may vote at the University Precinct located in Merten Hall on Election Day.

All other Mason students and faculty must vote at their registered home precincts, either inside the county, within the Commonwealth or your home state.

Same day voter registration: Students who live on the Fairfax campus but didn’t register by the October 16th deadline may utilize same day registration and vote at Merten Hall on Election Day using a provisional ballot. Click here to learn more about same day voter registration and provisional ballots >

On-campus resident addresses on voter registration applications for Mason students can be provided in two ways (both are correct):

  • ADDRESS OPTION #1: Provide the Hub mailing address (4450 Rivanna River Way, PMB #, Fairfax, VA 22030) as the address for Question #2 on the voter registration application, AND provide your current residence hall name and room number under Question #4 on the voter registration application.
  • ADDRESS OPTION #2: Provide your current residence hall’s physical building address for Question #2 on the voter registration application, AND provide the Hub mailing address (4450 Rivanna River Way, PMB #, Fairfax, VA 22030) as the mailing address under Question #4 on the voter registration application.

Click here to view examples of Address Option #1 & Address Option #2 >

Don’t know the physical address of your residence hall? Click here to find it on the list >

 

SECOND STEP: VOTE!

On-Campus Students

Mason has its own polling station for on-campus residents only, so you don’t have to leave campus!

Vote in the November General Election on Nov. 7, 2023, at Merten Hall (next to Panda Express).

Polls are open 6:00am thru 7:00pm.

Photo ID is NOT necessary to vote. Your George Mason University Student Photo ID is welcomed on Election Day. If you do not have a valid ID, you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying your identification. You may use your Mason issued electronic ID, however, you may not use a picture of your physical ID.

ONLY students registered at their current Fairfax campus address may vote at the University Precinct located in Merten Hall on Election Day (see details above). All other Fairfax County registered voters must vote at their home precincts.

All other Virginia registered voters outside of Fairfax County may request an absentee ballot to be mailed to their residence or other location.

Off-Campus Students

Living In Fairfax County (NOTE: Mason is located in Fairfax County):

VOTE EARLY! Check your County’s Office of Elections website for locations and times.

VOTE IN PERSON ON ELECTION DAY: If you are a commuter student and want to vote on Election Day, go to your designated polling station between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2023. Find your polling station at: elections.virginia.gov.

VOTE ABSENTEE BY MAIL: Beginning July 1, 2020, you do not need an excuse to vote absentee in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Request an absentee ballot securely online: elections.virginia.gov. Learn more: fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/absentee-voting-mail

IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING: In-person early voting begins 45 days before the Election (Sept. 22 thru Nov. 4, 2023).  Learn More: fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/early-voting

Early in-person absentee voting is available for the Nov. 7, 2023, General and Special Elections at the following three locations from Sept. 22 – Nov. 4 (see hours for each location below):

  • Fairfax County Government Center – 12000 Government Ctr Pkwy, Suites 2 & 3, Fairfax, 22035
  • Mount Vernon Governmental Center – 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, 22306
  • North County Governmental Center – 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston, 20190

Thirteen additional early voting locations will be available daily from Oct. 26 through Nov. 4:

  • Burke Centre Library – 5935 Freds Oak Rd, Burke, VA 22015
  • Centreville Regional Library – 14200 Saint Germain Drive, Centreville, VA 20121
  • Franconia Governmental Center – 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310
  • Great Falls Library – 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066
  • Herndon Fortnightly Library – 768 Center Street, Herndon, VA 20170
  • Lorton Community Center – 9520 Richmond Highway, Lorton, VA 22079
  • Mason Governmental Center – 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003
  • McLean Governmental Center – 1437 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101
  • Providence Community Center – 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031
  • Sully Governmental Center – 4900 Stonecroft Boulevard, Chantilly, VA 20151
  • Thomas Jefferson Library – 7415 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church, VA 22043
  • Tysons Pimmit Library – 7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043
  • West Springfield Governmental Center – 6140 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA 22152

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING at Fairfax County Government Center (Sept. 22 – Nov. 4):

Weekdays: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Saturdays (Sept. 23, Oct. 28, & Nov. 4): 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sunday (Oct. 29): 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

  • Fairfax County Government Center: 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Rooms 2/3, Fairfax, VA 22035

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING at North County & Mt. Vernon (Sept. 22 – Nov. 4):

Weekdays: 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Saturdays (Sept. 23, Oct. 28, & Nov. 4): 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sunday (Oct. 29): 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

  • North County Governmental Center: 1801 Cameron Glen Dr., Reston, VA 20190
  • Mt. Vernon Governmental Center: 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING at at 13 additional locations (Oct. 26 – Nov. 4):

Weekdays: 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Saturdays (Sept. 23, Oct. 28, & Nov. 4): 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sunday (Oct. 29): 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

If you live outside Fairfax County (NOTE: Mason is located in Fairfax County), find out your early voting locations and times by going to your City/County’s website:

Absentee Voting by Mail

Request an absentee ballot securely online: elections.virginia.gov.

For the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on Absentee Voting, visit: elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting/index.html

Deadline: Virginia Vote by Mail Absentee Applications must be received at the Office of Elections now through 5:00 p.m. on Oct. 27. Voted ballots must be returned in person on Election Day or postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023, and received in our office by Monday, Nov. 13, at noon. Absentee ballot requests take time to process, so submit your request as soon as possible to ensure receipt in time to mark your ballot and return by deadline. Postal services may be delayed, so consider mailing early.

Can I Vote by Absentee Ballot?

Busy on Election Day? Vote early in person at an early voting location!

Students with a permanent residence address within Virginia but outside Fairfax County: Yes! Vote absentee from your home address using the Virginia Vote by Mail Application Form. Send the application to your city or county of residence. Ballot requests are accepted from NOW until Oct. 27 at 5:00 p.m.

Students living off campus at a Fairfax County address: Register to vote at your Fairfax County residence address. On Election Day you will be voting at the polling location assigned to your residence address, NOT at the University polling location on Mason’s campus.

Students registered to vote at a Mason campus address: Yes! No reason is necessary as of July 1, 2020.

Students with a voter registration outside of Virginia: Not eligible, please vote in your home state. Check online for your states’ absentee ballot request form.

_____________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: This post is intended to provide important voting information for Mason students, but always refer to the official Virginia Department of Elections website for the most accurate and up-to-date voter information/guidelines: elections.virginia.gov

 

Comments Closed

Comments are closed. You will not be able to post a comment in this post.