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EARLY VOTING
Began Friday, September 23rd
**REMINDER: You can vote early in person right now until Saturday, November 5th. Learn all the details on early voting, Election Day voting, getting a ride to the polls, and more on our Voting Info page. Be sure to review and share the important dates and details needed to cast a ballot this election.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022 - polls open from 6 am - 7 pm on Election Day. Anyone in line at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Not sure where to vote? Look up your polling place here.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
If you have requested an absentee ballot -- Reminder:
You may return your completed absentee ballot to your general registrar’s office by mail or personally deliver it to your general registrar. Additionally, you may drop-off your completed, sealed ballot at any drop-off location in your county or city. A list of drop-off locations is available on your county or city’s official website. You may also drop off your voted ballot at any polling place within your county or city on Election Day.
Your ballot will be counted if it is postmarked by Election Day and received by your local registrar by noon on Monday, November 14. If you are worried that you do not have time to return your ballot by-mail, we encourage you to personally deliver your ballot to your local registrar’s office, to vote in-person, or to take advantage of a ballot drop-off location. If you personally deliver your ballot, it must be returned to your registrar or drop-off location by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
For more info & FAQs on absentee ballots, check this out.
Labor 2022 - Week 8
October 24 - October 29, 2022
Week 8 -- we knocked it out the park -- lots of doors, lots of phones, and a lot of text messages later, we took this week by storm with beginning our ramped up GOTV efforts. Union members across the state turned out to get the work done and spread the word about upcoming Election Day to our fellow union members. The union difference -- that's what the election will come down to, and in speaking to members across the state this week, union members and their families know it and have already been out to the polls casting their ballots, and those that haven't yet, already have a plan to head out to the polls and vote for our union-endorsed candidates.
Our first GOTV week just meant we took everything we have been doing up a few notches -- phones, doors, and texts -- and it has been quite an awesome week. Union activists continued to turn out this again in force and fun!
**Special thank you to IBEW 26 in NOVA, CWA in Central, and IBEW 80 in Norfolk for sponsoring this week's Saturday walks across the state!
The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) held a walk on Saturday out of their headquarters in Triangle, VA for union members between the NOVA and Central corridor to have a staging location a little closer to home to knock doors and cover the turf we needed to get done in the Prince William County area. Members from UMWA along with a couple of unions showed up and showed out by knocking packet upon packet.
Now with just a week left until Election Day....we still have time for a ton more conversations with union members and their families across the state. But to make sure we can have those conversations and get union members the voting info they need, we have to get - out - the- vote, and we need more help, but more importantly, we need your help!
You still have time to join us:
Leaflet Worksites: Head over to the Working Families Toolkit and/or contact your Zone Lead and get those fliers to hand out to your members on the worksite(s).
Phonebanks & Textbanks-- Let's call & message our members and remind them to cast their ballot. We have a lot of numbers we need to call and reach out to, and we would love you to join us!
Canvassing -- Join us in knocking doors of union members in your area to remind them of the importance of the election! GOTV canvassing is available everyday, but you also can register for our big canvass launches on Saturdays.
Union Communication: Add to your website, send some emails, post on social media, have a local town hall about the election -- head over to our GOTV resources page and get some Digital Messaging help to do what needs to be done to talk to your members this week.
With only 1 week left in the cycle, there is still so much ground to cover. Again, we need more help. Help us recruit some more union members to help in the efforts of Labor 2022. Be sure to check out our calendar page to sign up for our virtual phone banks, canvass launches, text banks, and more held in your area throughout the week!
Check out our upcoming events and photos from the week!
Upcoming Events
- Saturday: Labor 2022 Canvass Launch - RSVP here **Note: You MUST RSVP to attend the Saturday outdoor walk launches.
**REMINDER: You can vote early in person right now until Saturday, November 5th. Learn all the details on early voting, Election Day voting, getting a ride to the polls, and more on our Voting Info page. Be sure to review and share the important dates and details needed to cast a ballot this election.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022 and we have too much at stake to sit this one out! Let's get out the vote!
Labor 2022 - Week 7
October 17 - October 22, 2022
It's going down for real! This week, we learned that the word 'tired' just isn't in union vocabulary; especially when it comes down to elections. We kicked it up a notch all across the state as we did what needed to be done before our first week of GOTV. Union activists have turned up the heat on getting out the vote.
We are just a little over 2 weeks from Election Day and the fact of the matter is that union members' votes will be the deciding factor on whether our union endorsed, pro-labor candidates take the win this election.
This week we burned up the phone lines during phone banking and tore up the pavement at our Saturday walk --which was incredible! Union activists turned out again to make sure our members are rocking the vote this cycle.
**Special thank you UFCW for sponsoring this week's Saturday walks across the state!
AFGE even held a weekend of action where members turned up and showed out in the Eastern Zone with Congresswoman and candidate Elaine Luria (CD - 2), where their members went packet for packet on the doors to help cover turf in the district to make sure our union members know Elaine is the candidate of choice and that their voice matters, and that we can make a difference with one vote at a time.
Conversations with members across the Commonwealth are still showing us that our members, when it comes to voting, are concerned with a lot of things, but the top issues that are still the main driving forces to get them to the ballot box this Tuesday, November 8th are: income/wages/income inequality, healthcare, and public education. We have been and continue to listen to union members so that we can let them know that they are being heard and that their votes can make a difference in their daily lives.
You've heard us say it before -- there's a lot at stake for us and all working families across the Commonwealth, and we can't let up now. Now is the time to dig deep, power through, and get - out- the- vote!
So, the point is, we need you...we need you on the phones, we need you on the doors, and we need you to vote and talk to your members now through Election Day, and here's how you can help.
Leaflet Worksites: Head over to the Working Families Toolkit and/or contact your Zone Lead and get those fliers to hand out to your members on the worksite(s).
Phonebanks & Textbanks-- Let's call & message our members and remind them to cast their ballot. We have a lot of numbers we need to call and reach out to, and we would love you to join us!
Canvassing -- Join us in knocking doors of union members in your area to remind them of the importance of the election! GOTV canvassing is available everyday, but you also can register for our big canvass launches on Saturdays.
With only 2 weeks left in the cycle, there is still so much ground to cover. Again, we need more help. Help us recruit some more union members to help in the efforts of Labor 2022. Be sure to check out our calendar page to sign up for our virtual phone banks, canvass launches, text banks, and more held in your area throughout the week!
Check out our upcoming events and photos from the week!
Upcoming Events
- Saturday: Labor 2022 Canvass Launch - RSVP here **Note: You MUST RSVP to attend the Saturday outdoor walk launches.
**REMINDER: You can vote early in person right now until Saturday, November 5th. Learn all the details on early voting, Election Day voting, getting a ride to the polls, and more on our Voting Info page. Be sure to review and share the important dates and details needed to cast a ballot this election.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022 and we have too much at stake to sit this one out! Let's get out the vote!
Labor 2022 - Week 6
October 10 - October 15, 2022
WHAT A WEEK! Wow -- week 6 was one for the books. This week we made significant headway in communicating with union members across the Commonwealth about voting this election!
Following our weekly Tuesday night phone bank, we took text banking by storm on Wednesday evening for the first time this cycle. During our text bank, we focused our campaign on vote by mail -- sending over 21,000 texts to union members talking them through a vote by mail plan and sending information on early vote and election day voting. All the volunteers for the text bank found it "really fun" and "too cool and easy" and even were excited to get more of their union siblings out to do the text bank next week! Lots of great conversations happened by text in our first round and members both receiving texts and sending them seemed to enjoy having someone to talk to about voting this election and protecting working family interests.
This Saturday walk was great across the state as union activists turned out once again to make sure union members' voices were heard and that they had the info they needed to head to the polls. Down in the Eastern region, Congresswoman and candidate Elaine Luria (CD - 2) showed up to the launch and spoke with members about her plans for working families and her gratefulness for the program and all the union members doing the work to help her get re-elected. Congresswoman Luria did mention that her race is a close one -- she and her opponent are neck and neck and her race is the top race in the country that can turn the tide in Congress to keeping the majority and that it will make the difference in keeping working families first in the minds of Congress.
**Special thank you to IBB 45 in Central, USW 831 in Western, and IW 79, AFGE 2328, and NFT 4261 in Eastern for sponsoring this week's Saturday walks!
With all this excitement and great conversation happening, we are still tracking what our union members care about most when it comes to this election and their everyday lives. The top issues remain to be: income/wages/income inequality, healthcare, and public education. Our members are continuing to learn that because of our efforts, that their vote can make the difference in turning the tide on the problems they discuss with us. Empowering our members to know that their vote matters has been great!
With only 3 weeks left in the cycle, there is still so much ground to cover. We need more help. Help us recruit some more union members to help in the efforts of Labor 2022. Be sure to check out our calendar page to sign up for our virtual phone banks, canvass launches, text banks, and more held in your area throughout the week!
Check out our upcoming events and photos from the week!
Upcoming Events
- Saturday: Labor 2022 Canvass Launch - RSVP here **Note: You MUST RSVP to attend the Saturday outdoor walk launches.
Labor 2022 - Week 5
October 3 - October 8, 2022
This week we sought to make up for last week's rain out, and boy did we do that! Labor union activists turned out in droves across the state to ensure that we got doors knocks, calls made, and post cards written to our members to educate and inform them about the upcoming election cycle and what's at stake for our unions this time around! This week, we even had special guest union-endorsed Congressional Candidate Jennifer Lewis (CD - 6) come out in Roanoke and join us for our walk!
**Special thank you to CWA 2201 in Central, CWA 2204 in Western, ATU 689 in Nova, and Hampton Roads Building Trades Council in Eastern for sponsoring this week's Saturday walks!
As we continue to speak to our fellow union members about what they care about most when it comes to this election and their everyday lives, the top issues remain to be: income/wages/income inequality, healthcare, and public education. Our members are learning, because of our efforts, that their vote can make the difference in turning the tide on the problems they discuss with us. Empowering our members to know that their vote matters has been great!
We still need more help because although the time is dwindling down, the work needing to be done continues to pile up and become more and more critical everyday. Help us recruit some more union members to help in the efforts of Labor 2022. Be sure to check out our calendar page to sign up for our virtual phone banks, canvass launches, text banks, and more held in your area throughout the week!
Check out our upcoming events and photos from the week!
Upcoming Events
- Saturday: Labor 2022 Canvass Launch - RSVP here **Note: You MUST RSVP to attend the Saturday outdoor walk launches.
Labor 2022 - Week 4
September 26 - October 1, 2022
Week 4 It can only be up from here! This week Hurricane Ian rocked the eastern side of the United States and we send our love, prayers, thoughts, and support to those effected by the storm. Here in Virgnia, we also saw some residual effects of Ian with lots of rain, power outages, and heavy winds. And although we had a rainy day plan in place for all zones, labor activists didn't let it stop them from talking to union members about the election -- post card writers, phone bankers, and door knockers turned up all week to make sure union members were being heard and that they were being educated on the upcoming election .
**Special thank you to OPEIU 334 in Central, Teamsters Local 322 n Western, and Eastern Virginia Labor Federation in Eastern for sponsoring this week's Saturday walks!
This week, the top issues : income/wages/income inequality, and public education continued to remain at the top of our union members' minds all across the Commonwealth and this has been so helpful with strategizing on how to communicate with them and explain what our union-endorsed candidates can do to help alleviate their concerns.
All in all, we are working hard, but we are now almost a month a way from Election Day -- Virginians can early vote (in some localities on Sunday(s)) and they can register to vote on Election Day as well -- that being said, we need more hands on deck to make things shake out in favor or working people this election because there is so much to do and so little time! Help us recruit some more union members to help in the efforts of Labor 2022. Be sure to check out our calendar page to sign up for our virtual phone banks, canvass launches, and more held in your area throughout the week!
Check out our upcoming events and photos from the week!
Upcoming Events
- Saturday: Labor 2022 Canvass Launch - RSVP here **Note: You MUST RSVP to attend the Saturday outdoor walk launches.
** **NOTE: NOVA Zone Canvass Launch for 10/8 will be held at IBEW Local 26 Hall in Manassass, Virginia : 7010 Infantry Ridge Road, Manassas, VA 20109
UPDATE: Same Day Voter Registration In Virginia
September 27, 2022
Back in August, we gave you a small brief on the new law / piece of legislation that was passed during the 2020 General Assembly session, that outlined for Virginia, beginning on October 1, 2022, voting eligible citizens will be able to register to vote on Election day and cast their ballot on the same day.
At the time, details were not fully fleshed out, but the Virginia Department of Elections has released guidance as to what same day voter registration in Virginia will look like during the 2022 Election Cycle.
So, we are sure you have questions about the process, so here are a few FAQs about same day voter registration that we have answers to:
Is same day registration new in Virginia?
Yes. Beginning with the 2022 General Election, the General Assembly approved
legislation that provides the ability to register at any time, up to and including
Election Day.
How is this different from how registration has previously worked?
Previously, registration was closed for the 21 days before an election; there was
no ability to register to vote after this deadline. The new law allows registration,
with limitations, during the 21-day period before an election.
What is a provisional ballot?
Provisional ballots are used by voters who do not appear on the list of registered
voters at their polling location. Provisional ballots are not processed by a vote
counting machine at the time of voting, but rather are subject to approval by the local electoral board prior to the ballot being counted.
What happens to my provisional ballot after I vote?
The general registrar’s office for your locality will research your ballot to gather
evidence about whether you are qualified and eligible to vote. The general
registrar’s office will forward your ballot and the information gathered to the
electoral board to review and approve or deny your ballot.
How will I know if my provisional ballot is counted?
After you vote, you will be given a notice with the date, time, and place where the local electoral board will make a decision regarding your provisional ballot. You are entitled to attend this meeting, but you are not required to attend in order for your ballot to be counted. If your registration application is approved and there are no other issues, your ballot will be counted. If your ballot is not counted, you will receive written notice from your general registrar.
Who can same day register?
Any person qualified to register to vote is eligible. However, if you are already
registered in a different locality and seeking to update your registration, you may be eligible to cast a non-provisional ballot, rather than the provisional ballot used for same day registration. Your general registrar or officer of election at your polling place can provide further information about eligibility.
When can I same day register?
Same day registration and voting with a provisional ballot can be utilized after the October 17 deadline to register to vote a non-provisional ballot.
Where do I same day register?
You may same day register at the office of your general registrar or satellite
location during the early voting period. On Election Day, you must go to the
polling place for the precinct in which you reside.
How do I find my polling place?
You can find this information by contacting the office of the general registrar for the locality in which you reside. You can find information about your general registrar’s office on the Department of Elections’ website at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup.
Check out more info on same day voter registration on the Virginia Department of Elections website by clicking here or visit: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/same-day-voter-registration/
As updates and new information emerge about this voting change, Virginia AFL-CIO will keep our affiliates and our members updated on this important and history-making change.
Labor 2022 - Week 3
September 19 - 24, 2022
Week 3 came in with a bang! This week, the entire state is feeling it -- it being the election season. Early voting started this Friday, and people are heading out to the polls.
This week, our labor union volunteer number dipped a bit, but we know you will help us work to get those numbers back up! No matter the number though, we showed up and showed out to knock doors on Saturday, and that was just the icing on the cake to our weekly turnout for phone bank shifts and volunteers knocking during the week!
It can only be up from here!
**Special thank you to NALC/IAM in Western, AFGE Local 1992 in Central, and UA 110 in Norfolk for sponsoring this week's Saturday walks!
Every week we are out doing what we can do on the phones and doors...and post cards too, but we have to communicate even more to our members. They want to hear from us, and one important way to make sure they do hear from their union is through local union mail. So, if your local hasn't sent mail just yet, it's not too late. It is actually the perfect time to do it. Get yourself some flyers from the working family toolkit (not sure how? check out our video tutorial) and download one of our sample letters and get it out to your members. **NEW: we have sector specific sample letters available! Be sure to check them out! An educated member, is a voting member, and that's what we need this election to ensure that we are protecting our rights, that our voices are heard, and that we gain and maintain our pro-labor Congressional members.
If you've sent a mail piece or two already, thank you! And as a tip, get your next mailing together now, and be sure to talk about early voting and include some info on top issues across the state. This week, the top issues saw an interesting trend as we saw racial justice have an uptick which has beat out our most recent contending issue: healthcare, but our other reigning top 2 still remain to be income/wages/income inequality, and public education.
We are down to just 6 weeks before the election, and if you haven't seen polling, just know, things are close! The union voter turnout is going to make all the difference in this election. Working families have endured so much in the past few years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic hardships, and more, but together, we have to show up at the ballot box. November 8th is coming, and we need all the help we can get.
Help us recruit some more union members to help in the efforts of Labor 2022. Be sure to check out our calendar page to sign up for our virtual phone banks, canvass launches, and more held in your area throughout the week!
REMINDER: You can request your ballot or vote early in person this year right now. Learn all the details on early vote and getting registered/updating your registration and more on our Voting Info page. Be sure to review and share the important dates and details needed to cast a ballot this election.
Check out our upcoming events and photos from the week!
Upcoming Events
- Saturday: Labor 2022 Canvass Launch - RSVP here **Note: You MUST RSVP to attend the Saturday outdoor walk launches.
Labor 2022 - Week 2
September 12 - 17, 2022
Second week is down in the books! This week we made more calls and knocked even more doors!
**Special thank you to our Saturday walk sponsors - IBEW 666 in Central , NATCA in Eastern, and UAW 2069 in Western!
At our Saturday walks, union activists came together to talk to other union members about the election, but this week, in Western, we had a change of pace and UAW local 2069 sponsored the walk out of their union hall in Dublin, VA where union-endorsed congressional candidate for CD-9, Taysha DeVaughan, made an appearance and joined in on our labor union fun!
This week, are top 3 issues we see trending from our statewide conversations with members continue to be: income/wages, public education, and healthcare. These issues and the continued trend are showing us how we can talk to our members and more importantly, what they care about when it comes to daily life and who they will vote for.
Speaking of voting...We are gearing up for early vote, which begins next week, Friday, September 23rd. Be sure to let your union members and family and friends know all about how to early vote by checking out our info page.
The election cycle is moving forward, and we need your help!
Help us recruit some more union members to help in the efforts of Labor 2022. Be sure to check out our calendar page to sign up for our virtual phone banks, canvass launches, and more held in your area throughout the week!
REMINDER: Early voting starts on Friday, September 23, 2022. Request your ballot or vote early in person this year. Learn all the details on early vote and getting registered/updating your registration and more on our Voting Info page.
Check out our upcoming events and photos from the week!
Upcoming Events
- Saturday: Labor 2022 Canvass Launch - RSVP here **Note: You MUST RSVP to attend the Saturday outdoor walk launches.
Labor 2022 - Canvas Kick-Off
September 5 - 10, 2022
What a first week ! Well...actually, we have been full force in the Labor 2022 cycle since the beginning of summer with our great release staff and our weekday volunteers making phone calls to fellow union members during our weeknight virtual phone banks. However, this week, we had great labor day celebrations across the state and to end the week, we kicked off our Saturday canvasses with a great turnout of union activists to knock doors of our fellow union members!
**Special thank you to UA Local 10 and the Western Virginia Area Labor Federation for sponsoring our first walks of the cycle in Richmond and Roanoke!
This year, we are having real conversations on the phones and on the doors with our union members about the issues that are most important to them. All across the state, union members have been talking to other union members to hear what they care about, to inform them about the importance of voting in this election, reminding them of voting changes, assisting in updating voter registrations, and giving all the important dates and details needed to cast a ballot this election.
Some great conversations and responses occurred all week through all the excitement of being able to come together. The top 3 issues we see trending this week from our statewide conversations with members include: income/wages, public education, and healthcare.
The issues like this are what are driving members to vote at all, and more importantly, who they vote for.
Help us recruit some more union members to help in the efforts of Labor 2022. Be sure to check out our calendar page to sign up for our virtual phone banks, canvass launches, and more held in your area throughout the week!
REMINDER: Early voting starts on Friday, September 23, 2022. Request your ballot or vote early in person this year. Learn all the details on early vote and getting registered/updating your registration and more on our Voting Info page.
Check out our upcoming events and photos from the week!
Upcoming Events
- Saturday: Labor 2022 Canvass Launch - RSVP here **Note: You MUST RSVP to attend the Saturday outdoor walk launches.
Virginia Department of Elections Launches Voter Education Website
September 1, 2022
Recently, the Virginia Department of Elections launched a voter education website: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/voter-ed/. The website is broken into 4 tabs that cover:
Voter Education
Registration & Voting Info
Request a mail in ballot
Become an Officer of Election
Defending Democracy
"How much do you know about elections in Virginia?" Quiz
Info about accessible voter registration & voting
Educational videos
FAQs for voters (new & old) & voting rights
Parent & Teacher resources
Mythbusters
A page of common heard myths and bad news about voting in Virginia and Virginia's election process
Election-ary
A page that covers election terms from Absentee Ballot to Zero Tape -- all the words that you may or may not know and what they mean when talking about voting
Get Involved
A page that lists important dates by month that regard voting in Virginia
Also has the contest for high schoolers -- grades 10 - 12, to select a creative and clever name for Virginia's new voter registration system!
Info on Governor Northam's High school challenge to get high school students registered to vote as soon as they turn 18
Includes social media graphics to share about voting in Virginia
Has printable Officer of Election Posters
Be sure to check out the website! Great resources are being added all the time!
- Voter education remains a top priority for union members across the Commonwealth who participate in the Virginia AFL-CIO's election/political program. Be sure that your membership is educated and informed!
Same Day Voter Registration In Virginia
August 30, 2022
In Virginia, beginning on October 1, 2022, voting eligible citizens will be able to register to vote on Election day and cast their ballot on the same day. This change is due to a new law / piece of legislation that was passed during the 2020 General Assembly session.
Currently, there is no official guidance on how this same day voter registration will work nor is the state board of elections website up-to-date with information regarding such, but more information/details are to be expected/released when the law takes effect on October 1st.
Find more information on the topic via the Virginia Mercury article titled: Same-day voter registration is coming to Virginia.
As updates and new information emerge about this voting change, Virginia AFL-CIO will keep our affiliates and our members updated on this important and history-making change.
Virginia AFL-CIO Completes 2022 Congressional Endorsements
August 28, 2022
Earlier this year, Virginia AFL-CIO made early congressional endorsements and upon completion of its state convention, have announced additional names of endorsed candidates for the 2022 Congressional race. The following candidates have been endorsed for election in the 2022 Election Cycle:
Congressional District 1 : Herb Jones
Congressional District 2 : Elaine Luria
Congressional District 3 : Bobby Scott
Congressional District 4 : Donald McEachin
Congressional District 5 : Josh Throneburg
Congressional District 6 : Jennifer Lewis
Congressional District 7 : Abigail Spanberger
Congressional District 8 : Don Beyer
Congressional District 9 : Taysha DeVaughan
Congressional District 10 : Jennifer Wexton
Congressional District 11 : Gerry Connolly