Primaries can seem like just another facet of the voting cycle and are often overlooked in favor of the general election – particularly here in Virginia where election fatigue is REAL because we head to the polls every single year!
I don’t closely follow politics or know the candidates. Why not just vote in the general election after a candidate is chosen?
Those most likely to vote in primary elections tend to be the most partisan members of either party, and their views may not reflect those of the overall electorate. If the people who don’t live and die for politics skip the primary, the candidates on the ballot in November will reflect the views of the minority that voted, not the majority being affected. But it doesn’t have to be that way — by showing up and casting a vote, we can push our democracy one perspective closer to an accurate picture of our beliefs.
Primary elections don’t ever change anything, so why not just sit it out?
Primaries tend to have lower turnout and can be decided by a very small number of votes. Your vote matters even more during a primary.
Here in Virginia, we have open primary elections, meaning that a voter does not have to be registered with a party in advance in order to participate in its primary. This year, there is no Republican primary, so they can choose to vote in the Democratic primary if they feel there is some advantage to doing so. Why would anyone do that?
In the 2014 Republican Primary for the 7th district, our Congressman, Eric Cantor (R US07) – the powerful House Majority Leader in line to become Speaker of the House – was defeated by unknown Tea Party-backed candidate Dave Brat, in part because some local Democrats turned out to punish Cantor for failing to represent their interests. For the same reason, Republicans had lower than normal turnout. A few thousand votes toppled the career of one of the most powerful members of Congress and stuck us with four years of Dave Brat. Primary elections matter.
I’m just too busy to do the research
The primary process can be challenging, especially in state and local elections where there isn’t as much news coverage of candidates and their positions. But N4C is here to help.
Learn about each of the seven candidates running for the Democratic nomination in Congressional District 1 with our “In Their Own Words series” or by checking out their campaign pages.
In the time it takes you to drink your morning beverage of choice, you can review the campaign websites of those who appeal to you. Choose your candidates and make a plan to vote in the primary so the strongest candidates end up on the ballot in November.
What if I’m out of town for the 8/4/26 primary election?
Early in-person voting begins Thursday June 18th at Henrico Government Centers. Election day is Tuesday, August 4th. Find all the details here.
Who does N4C endorse?
N4C does not endorse candidates before the primary election because we believe in providing you with the information to make an informed choice.
Take Action
- Learn about the candidates for CD 1 and make a plan to vote in the Democratic Primary. You can find the information here.
