Voters across Virginia head to the polls today for the state’s 2026 primary election, with polls opening at 6 a.m. and closing at 7 p.m. as Republicans and Democrats select their nominees for U.S. Senate and House races. More than 180 positions are up for election in contests that were delayed from June to August due to a prolonged redistricting battle.
The primary features a competitive Republican Senate race and contested House primaries across seven congressional districts. On the Senate side, three Republicans — Kim Farington, Bert Mizusawa, and David Williams — are vying for their party’s nomination to challenge Democratic incumbent Mark Warner, who is seeking a fourth term. The Democratic Senate primary was canceled, allowing Warner to advance unopposed.
Farington, a Northern Virginia business owner and former federal accountant, has centered her campaign on inflation, government spending and border security. Mizusawa, a retired U.S. Army major general and former Pentagon official, is highlighting his military and national security experience while focusing on defense readiness, energy and foreign policy. Williams, a businessman, U.S. Navy veteran and former federal employee, is running as a political outsider and promising to cut taxes and reduce the size of the federal government.
Virginia Republicans have not elected a senator since John Warner won his final term in 2002, facing long odds in a state that has trended Democratic in recent years.
Contested House Primaries Across Seven Districts
The House races feature some of the most competitive primaries in Virginia. In the 1st Congressional District, seven Democrats are competing for the chance to challenge Republican incumbent Rob Wittman, who has held the seat since 2007. Candidates on the ballot include U.S. Army veteran Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs, Virginia Poverty Law Center attorney Salaam Bhatti, environmental advocate Tim Cywinski, U.S. Navy veteran and energy lobbyist Jason Knapp, healthcare attorney Ericka Kopp, Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor, and U.S. Army veteran and business lawyer Mel Tull.
According to Virginia Mercury, candidates have largely focused on affordability, healthcare and opposition to the Trump administration, while drawing distinctions over whether Democrats should nominate a progressive or a moderate candidate to challenge Wittman.
In the 2nd District, four Democrats are competing for the nomination in one of Virginia’s most competitive congressional districts. Former U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria, a retired U.S. Navy commander who represented the district before losing to Republican Jen Kiggans in 2022, is seeking a rematch. She faces physician Nila Devanath, physicist and veteran Bill Fleming, and former U.S. Agency for International Development employee Patrick Mosolf.
Other contested primaries unfold in the 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th districts, with more than 30 GOP candidates competing across the Senate race and seven House primaries. In the 8th District, six-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Don Beyer faces four primary challengers in the heavily Democratic Alexandria-based district, including Michael Duffin, a former State Department employee laid off during federal workforce cuts, and Marine veteran and former CIA officer Adam Dunigan.
Delayed Election and Turnout Concerns
Virginia’s primary was moved from its traditional June date to August 4 after a prolonged redistricting battle created uncertainty over which congressional map would govern the races. According to Virginia Mercury, the state’s primary was originally scheduled for June 16, 2026, but nearly two months of legal and legislative disputes over congressional redistricting forced election officials to push the contest to August.
The delay appears to have affected voter participation. Early voting turnout in Virginia’s 2026 primary was down 10 percent statewide compared to 2024, according to a report from local news outlets. Early in-person voting ran from June 19 through August 1, and voters who did not cast ballots early can participate today at their designated polling locations.
Virginia is an open primary state, meaning registered voters do not have to be members of a party to participate. Voters in localities holding both Democratic and Republican primaries may choose either party’s ballot but cannot participate in both. An acceptable form of identification is required to vote, including a driver’s license, passport, voter confirmation document, utility bill or bank statement. Voters without identification may sign an identity confirmation statement or cast a provisional ballot.
Sources
- Virginia Mercury — comprehensive voter guide covering Senate candidates, House primary races across seven districts, and the redistricting delay from June to August 2026
- WDBJ7 — confirmation of poll hours (6 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and primary election date of August 4, 2026
- Ballotpedia — verified candidate names for Republican Senate primary (Farington, Mizusawa, Williams) and confirmation that Democratic Senate primary was canceled with Warner advancing unopposed
- 13 News Now — reporting on the primary delay from June 16 to August 4 due to redistricting uncertainty and legal battles
- Virginia Department of Elections — confirmation of more than 180 positions up for election statewide and open primary rules
- Facebook posts from local news outlets — early voting turnout down 10 percent statewide compared to 2024
