Active versus Inactive
Voters in Virginia do not register by political party preference. Virginia does, however, make a distinction between "active" and "inactive" voters. Once you have registered to vote in Virginia, you remain registered as long as you update your information when you change your name or your address. You will be automatically kept on the "active" rolls unless you voluntarily choose to cancel your registration, move out of the Commonwealth, commit a felony, or are judged mentally incapacitated. You should immediately notify your General Registrar if there is any change in your status, name, address, or any other condition that may affect your eligibility to remain a registered voter.
"Inactive" voters are those presumed to have changed their address or to have moved out of the locality but who have not informed their General Registrar. Once notification from the USPS or through some other cross-check method is received, these voters are sent a request to confirm their address to determine if they still live in the locality. If they respond and are still eligible, they will be made "active" again; otherwise, they are marked with an "inactive" status.
When they go to vote, "inactive" voters must confirm their registered address and may not be able to vote until that information has been confirmed or updated. A voter with an "inactive" status who does not vote for two consecutive federal elections and who fails to respond to a contact request sent by the Department of Elections and does not communicate with their General Registrar at all will be removed from the voter rolls. A person so removed must re‑register if they wish to be a registered voter.
