You might’ve heard there’s an election today. If you’re not sure of your polling place, this interactive tool from the Voting Information Project—created by Google, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and state officials—will show you not only where to vote, but also what’s on your ballot and contact information for local election administrators. All you need to do is enter your address, and the relevant information will pop up.
The District and Maryland do not require voters to show photo identification, though same-day registrants in DC are required to present proof of residency. Virginia voters are required to show a photo identification, under a 2013 law signed by then-Governor Bob McDonnell. (The law is being challenged in court, but is still in effect.) Acceptable forms of ID include driver’s licenses, US passports, student or employee identification cards, or a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card, which is distributed at state-run voter-registration offices, including on Election Day.
Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM in both DC and Maryland, and from 6 AM and 7 PM in Virginia. In all three jurisdictions you are allowed to vote as long as you are on line by the time polls close. And keep voter-protection hotlines handy in case anyone tries to pull any funny business at polling places:
- DC Board of Elections: (202) 727-2525
- Maryland State Board of Elections: (410) 269-2840
- Virginia Department of Elections: (804) 864-8901
- Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights: (866) 687-8683
- US Justice Department: (202) 307-2767
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
