By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – The 45-day window for early voting opened across Virginia on Friday, May 2, giving voters a head start on the June 17 primary to shape the commonwealth’s next slate of top leaders.
Primaries include contested Democratic races for lieutenant governor and attorney general, along with local and legislative races in certain districts.
Six candidates are running for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor: former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney; state Sens. Aaron Rouse and Ghazala Hashmi; Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef; former prosecutor Victor Salgado, and retired federal attorney Alex Bastani. The winner will face Republican nominee John Reid in November.
Three Democrats are also competing for attorney general: Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano; Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor; and former Delegate Jay Jones. The winner will go up against Republican incumbent Jason Miyares.
The governor’s race is already set with Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who are on track for a historical high-profile November showdown.
Key dates for the election include:
- May 2 – Early voting starts
- May 27 – Deadline to register to vote or cast a regular ballot
- June 6 – Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail or online
- June 14 – Last day for early voting
- June 17 – Primary Election Day
- June 20 – Noon deadline for all mailed ballots
- July 1 – State Board of Elections certifies results
A social media poll posted by conservative activist Elicia Brand, credited to Project Virginia, asked GOP voters which 2025 statewide candidate they were most excited about.
John Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, led with 44%, followed by Attorney General Jason Miyares at 27% and gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears at 13%.
Another 16% selected “none.”
According to a January 2025 Commonwealth Poll from VCU’s Wilder School, the economy and cost of living top the list of voter concerns, with 59% of Virginians naming them their top issues. That’s a 20-point increase from just a few months earlier.
The concerns span party lines as 62% of Democrats, 59% of Independents and 55% of Republicans said they’re most worried about rising costs. But just 41% of respondents said they believe Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the General Assembly are aligned on how to handle it.
Some other top concerns included K-12 education at 14%, where voters were split on state leadership’s direction, and crime and public safety at 9%, with only 30% saying the state’s handling is coordinated.
Immigration and higher education also ranked among voter concerns, though with less intensity.
