Historic Triangle voter guide: Candidates, where to vote and what to expect on Election Day
The Nov. 5 election is here. Virginia voters will not only weigh in on who becomes the next president of the United States but will also vote in a U.S. Senate race and House races.
A proposed Constitutional amendment also appears on the ballot.
Here’s a roundup of information on the races that are underway, the candidates competing for your vote and how to cast your ballot if you have not yet voted early.
Election Day Hours
Polls are open on Election Day, Nov. 5, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you are in line when the polls close, you can still vote.
Where to Vote
You can look up your polling location any time by using the Virginia Department of Elections Citizen Portal tool and selecting the “Find your polling place” option.
Sample Ballots
Click the links below to view the sample ballot for the locality listed.
Sample ballots for any locality in the U.S. can also be viewed by using the Ballotpedia Sample Ballot Lookup Tool.
On the Ballot
U.S. President and Vice President
Six presidential candidates and their running mates appear on every ballot in Virginia. Click on the candidate’s name to view their campaign website.
The vice presidential candidates do not have their own election websites, but the links below will take you to their candidate profile via Ballotpedia, a free, nonpartisan election information resource.
The candidates below are listed in the order they appear on the ballot.
Kamala D. Harris (D)
Donald J. Trump (R)
Jill E. Stein (I)
Chase R. Oliver (I)
Cornel R. West (I)
Unites States Senate
Virginians will weigh in on one U.S. Senate contest this year: the contest between Tim Kaine (D) and Hung Cao (R). Mark Warner, Virginia’s other senator, is not up for reelection until 2026.
Below are short bios and a list of each candidate’s top priorities. Click on the candidate’s name to visit their website.
Timothy M. Kaine (D) (Incumbent)
Quick bio: Kaine has represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate since 2013. In 2016, he was the Democratic party’s nominee for vice president, serving as Hillary Clinton’s running mate. He was also the governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006.
Top priorities: The economy has dominated as a primary issue in the race between Kaine and Cao. Kaine supports increasing Virginia’s minimum wage to $17 per hour. He has also touted his support for the Inflation Reduction Act, which he says helped reign in inflation, lower unemployment rates and increase the number of manufacturing jobs.
Kaine says his other top priorities include protecting the Affordable Care Act, supporting clean energy and other policies to combat climate change and improving access to quality education. Kaine provides more information regarding his policies on top issues on his website.
Hung Cao (R)
Quick bio: Hung Cao is a political outsider and retired Navy captain. He has an extensive military background, having served as a Special Operations Officer in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. He has worked with the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force and balanced the Navy’s budget while working at the Pentagon.
Top priorities: Cao argues that the Inflation Reduction Act failed to reduce inflation and believes energy independence must be prioritized to improve the economy and bring down prices. He also supports bringing more manufacturing jobs to the U.S. His other top priorities include lowering prescription drug prices, tightening border security and supporting school choice. Additional information about Cao’s policies are available on his website.
House of Representatives
Historic Triangle residents will vote in the 1st District House race, which features the race between Leslie Mehta (D) and Rob Wittman (R).
Rob Wittman (R) (Incumbent)
Quick bio: Wittman has served as a U.S. Representative in Virginia since 2007. Before that, he served in Virginia’s House of Delegates and held numerous municipal government positions. His political career dates back to 1992, when he was elected to serve as the mayor of his hometown of Montross, VA.
Top priorities: In an interview with Ballotpedia, Wittman said he believes the “state of our economy and skyrocketing prices” are the top concerns for residents of the First District and for families across America. He says he wants to “rein in Washington’s excessive spending,” help businesses thrive and ensure the availability of good jobs.
Leslie Mehta (D)
Quick bio: Leslie Mehta has a law background and previously worked as a litigator and lead attorney for the Virginia ACLU. She was appointed by both Democratic and Republican governors to serve the Commonwealth, first on Governor Northam’s Commission to Examine Racial and Economic Inequity and then on Governor Youngkin’s Rare Disease Council.
Top priorities: Mehta cited her top priorities as “women’s reproductive freedom, protecting our democracy and eliminating bigotry” in a recent interview.
Williamsburg City Council
Residents of the City of Williamsburg will select “not more than three” members to be appointed to the Williamsburg City Council.
Candidates include Barbara Ramsey, Pat Dent, Fraser Hudgins, Ayanna Williams and Lindsay Barna.
Top priorities: Ramsey is a current Williamsburg City Council member. She says on her website that her goals include closing the achievement gap between Williamsburg and James City County students, bringing more jobs and family-friendly businesses to the city, providing more affordable housing, keeping tax rates low and supporting infrastructure and transportation improvements.
Top priorities: Dent currently serves as the Vice Mayor of the City of Williamsburg. He recently told WAVY News that his primary goals include managing the city’s finances effectively, improving infrastructure, bringing more affordable housing to the city and maintaining a high quality of life for residents. On his website, Dent states that he is dedicated to promoting “responsible growth while maintaining the character of our unique City.”
Top priorities: Fraser states on his website that he wants to bring people together to address issues facing the city and “help Williamsburg remain a truly special place to visit, live and learn.” A founding member of Citizens for Responsible & Sustainable Development, he supports balanced growth with the goal of maintaining the city’s “unique charm.”
Top priorities: Williams is a current student at William & Mary. According to her website, her top priorities include boosting Williamsburg student performance and test scores, protecting the local environment, prioritizing safety and supporting a community-based policing model, protecting historic neighborhoods and strengthening the relationship between the city and William & Mary.
Top priorities: An adjunct professor at William & Mary, Barna told the Virginia Gazette that her top priorities include protecting pedestrian safety, enhancing the current school system, securing more affordable housing for residents and students and ensuring “careful development.”
Proposed Constitutional Amendment
Every Virginia ballot includes a constitutional amendment this year. Voters will be asked to select “yes” or “no” in response to the following question:
Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended so that the tax exemption that is currently available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action is also available to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty?
Under the current law, tax exemptions are applied to the residences of the surviving spouses of soldiers who are killed in action. If the proposed amendment passes, the exemption will be available to spouses of all soldiers killed in the line of duty.
Some soldiers who are killed while serving in the line of duty are not classified by the Department of Defense as having been “killed in action,” meaning that their spouses are currently ineligible for the benefit.
A “yes” vote supports the expansion of the law.
Getting to the Polls
WATA is offering free fares on Election Day, Nov. 5, to help more people get to the polls.
“It is WATA’s practice to provide rides for free on Election Day to assist people in getting to their polling locations,” WATA said in a statement. “We don’t want transportation to be a hindrance to exercising their American right.”
Click here to view a list of bus stops that are closest to polling locations in James City County, York County and Williamsburg.
Additionally, Uber and Lyft are offering discounted rides to the polls on Nov. 5.
Additional Peninsula Localities
Voter guides for residents of Hampton and Newport News have been developed by WAVY News, complete with information about municipal races.
Click the links below for additional information about voting in the listed Peninsula locality.
Election Day Results
The polls close at 7 p.m. in Virginia. In 2020, the first votes were reported at 7:03 p.m., and 71% of the total votes cast were reported by midnight. For more details about what to expect on Election Day in Virginia, see this explainer.
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