The election is coming — here’s the deal

Virginia’s 2025 primary election is happening on June 17, and honestly, even though it's not a big national one, it’s still super important. Voters across the state will be picking nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates. A lot of people don’t realize how much local elections can actually impact their day-to-day life — stuff like education, healthcare, even how courts work.

And yeah, early voting has already started and goes until June 14, so if you’re someone who likes to skip the lines, you’ve got time.

Who’s running for what?

Let’s keep this simple. For governor, Abigail Spanberger (Democrat) and Winsome Earle-Sears (Republican) are the main names — and both are running unopposed in their primaries. Spanberger used to work in the CIA and Congress. Earle-Sears is Virginia’s current lieutenant governor and a military vet.

For lieutenant governor, it’s a bit more crowded. Six Democrats are competing, and after one major GOP candidate dropped out, John Reid is the last one standing on the Republican side.

Then for attorney general, two Democrats — Jay Jones and Shannon Taylor — are going head-to-head. The winner will face Republican Jason Miyares, who’s the current AG and pretty confident he’ll move ahead.

The open primary thing most people forget

Here’s something most folks don’t know — Virginia has open primaries. That means when you show up to vote, you don’t have to be registered as a Democrat or Republican. You can choose either party’s ballot that day. But yeah, you can’t vote in both.

Because of that, there's always this chance of crossover voting — like when voters from one party purposely vote in the other party’s primary to shake things up. It’s not illegal or anything. It’s just part of how Virginia’s system works. It’s already happened in the past, and with some tight races this year, people are watching to see if it happens again.

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Abortion isn’t front and center, but it’s there

Even if you don’t see it on every campaign sign or debate stage, abortion rights are still a huge part of this election — especially in local races like the House of Delegates. Groups that have been canvassing neighborhoods say that younger voters and suburban women, especially around Richmond and Northern Virginia, really care about this issue.

A recent poll from VCU showed that more than 70% of Virginians support keeping abortion legal in some form. So, even though it might not be loud, this is quietly pushing a lot of people to vote — and not just in the big races, but the smaller ones too.

The Glenn Youngkin effect, or maybe lack of one?

Another thing to keep in mind — this is the first major state election since Governor Glenn Youngkin’s failed 2024 presidential run. It’s kind of like a reset for Republicans in the state. One of Youngkin’s allies, Pat Herrity, was supposed to run for lieutenant governor but dropped out. That left John Reid as the only GOP candidate in that race.

Now, Winsome Earle-Sears, who used to be aligned with Youngkin, is kind of doing her own thing. She’s gaining attention on her own terms, and honestly, she might be stepping out of his shadow completely. People are wondering if Youngkin still holds much influence in Virginia politics — this election might give us an answer.

So how do you vote?

If you’re planning to vote early, you’ve got until June 14. Primary day is Tuesday, June 17, and polling places will be open from 6 AM to 7 PM. Remember, you don’t need to be registered with a political party to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary — but you can only vote in one.

Just make sure you bring a valid ID. If you’re mailing a ballot or using a drop box, check your local rules so it actually counts. You can find everything on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

Why are people paying attention this time?

Even though this isn’t a presidential election, there’s still a lot to watch:

  • Democratic early voting is already ahead of where it was in 2021

  • Republican turnout could spike on election day, though we’ll have to wait and see

  • Areas like Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads are always big deciders

  • The House of Delegates races could shift power depending on just a few close wins

  • National media is watching to see what this says about Trump’s influence or Youngkin’s future

Bottom line — this primary could tell us a lot about what voters are really thinking right now.