Virginia Beach voters face Aug. 4 primary deadline amid new city election rules
Virginia Beach voters are scheduled to participate in Virginia’s primary election on Aug. 4, 2026, the next major decision point in the election calendar for local and state nominations.
Virginia Beach Voter Registration and Elections has published information for the 2026 election cycle covering early in-person voting and absentee voting. The office also directs voters to official state and local resources for registration, ballots and voting procedures.
The primary is a nomination contest, not the election that determines final officeholders. Virginia’s general election remains scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Voting information available from city election office
The city election office’s early and absentee voting page provides the 2026 election and early-voting schedule, along with information on how those voting options work for Virginia Beach voters.
Voters seeking to participate should use the official resources identified by the office to check registration, review ballot-related information and follow applicable voting procedures. The materials in the approved source packet do not identify every race that will appear on an individual Virginia Beach voter’s ballot.
That distinction matters because ballots can vary by voter and contest. The official city guidance is the available source for the local schedule and procedures, rather than a complete, voter-by-voter race list.
Charter reflects 2026 election-structure legislation
Separately, the Virginia Beach city charter has been amended in 2026 through state legislation concerning the City Council election structure. The current charter record in Virginia’s Legislative Information System includes 2026 Virginia Acts, including a reference to Chapter 11.
The charter is part of the legal framework for the city’s government and elections. Its provisions include rules governing the filling of certain mayoral and council vacancies, as well as rules regulating city-government offices.
The packet does not establish that the charter action altered every election procedure, nor does it identify a City Council vote within the preceding 48 hours. It does establish that the charter’s current text contains 2026 amendments related to the council-election structure.
What comes next
The immediate known date is Primary Election Day on Aug. 4. For voters, the practical next step is to consult Virginia Beach Voter Registration and Elections’ official early, absentee and registration resources before casting a ballot or making voting plans.
The primary and the updated charter framework are separate but consequential parts of the city’s 2026 election cycle: one is the pending nomination election, while the other is the governing legal structure for City Council elections and certain municipal vacancy rules.
Sources
- Early/Absentee Voting, Virginia Beach Voter Registration and Elections
- Charter of the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia Legislative Information System