Absentee Voting

Absentee Voting
Absentee voting begins 45 days before each regularly scheduled primary or general election. In the event of a special election, excluding federal offices, if time is insufficient to meet the applicable start of absentee voting deadline, then it will start as soon after the deadline as possible. Please contact the Registrar’s Office to obtain an absentee ballot application or download the absentee ballot application.

Absentee Voting by Mail
To request an absentee ballot by mail, a voter must complete the absentee ballot application and return it to the Registrar’s Office either by mail, fax or in-person to:

County of Stafford
Office of the General Registrar
1300 Courthouse Rd
PO Box 301
Stafford, VA 22555
Tel. 540-658-4000
Fax 540-658-4003

The completed absentee ballot application must be received in the Registrar’s Office no later than 5:00PM the eleventh day before the election date to be able to have an absentee ballot issued by mail. Postmarks are not acceptable for this deadline; the completed absentee ballot application must be in the possession of the Registrar’s Office on or before the deadline date and time to qualify.

NOTE:  The voted absentee ballot must be delivered to the Registrar’s Office no later than 7:00PM on election day, or be clearly postmarked on or before election day and received by the Registrar’s Office no later than noon on the Friday following the election to be counted (Va. Code §24.2-709). Any voted absentee ballots received after the deadline date and time will not be opened and will be delivered to the Clerk of the Circuit Court (Va. Code §24.2-711).

In-person Early Voting
This service begins daily in the Registrar’s Office before each primary, general or special election.  In-person absentee voting occurs as follows:

1. Monday through Friday 8:30AM to 4:30PM (excluding holidays)

2. The last two Saturdays before every election from 9:00AM to 5:00PM

NOTE: Normal in-person early voting ends at 5:00PM on the last Saturday immediately preceding the Tuesday election date.

For questions or more information about absentee voting please contact the Registrar’s Office. More information about absentee voting is available by visiting the Department of Elections Absentee Voting Page.