Virginia Primary Early Voting Opens Thursday

Early in-person voting for Virginia’s Aug. 4 primary election will begin this week in most localities. The primary, originally scheduled for June, was postponed due to efforts to redraw the state’s congressional districts.

Voters can cast ballots at their local registrar’s office or designated satellite locations starting Thursday, June 18, in many areas (due to Juneteenth closures on June 19) or Friday, June 19, elsewhere. Early voting runs through Saturday, Aug. 1. Each locality sets its own hours and sites.

Residents should contact their general registrar or visit elections.virginia.gov for specific locations and times. No-excuse absentee voting is available, and all early voting must occur in the voter’s registered locality.

New Laws Take Effect July 1

Several measures signed during the 2026 General Assembly session will go into effect on July 1, addressing wages, public safety, and criminal records.

The state’s minimum wage will increase to $13.75 per hour by Jan. 1, 2027, and to $15 by 2028, with consumer price index adjustments. Law enforcement will be required to render life-saving aid when safe, and offenders convicted of crimes prohibiting access to children face lifetime 100-foot bans from parks and playgrounds.

Livestreaming while driving will begin to carry new penalties, including license suspensions and fines up to $500.

Separately, the “Clean Slate” law will automatically seal over 100,000 low-level misdemeanor records—such as shoplifting, trespassing, and marijuana distribution—for those with no reoffenses in seven years. Hundreds of thousands more will be eligible to petition for the sealing of misdemeanors, low-level felonies, and dismissals.

Rare Copy of Declaration in Richmond

A rare early test print of the Declaration of Independence from the 1820s is now on public display at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond. It is one of only two known surviving paper test prints.

Engraver William J. Stone spent years transferring the original Declaration onto a copperplate, which was then used in 1823 to produce 201 official parchment copies for the federal government.

Before striking those copies on parchment, Stone tested the plate on paper; historians believe he made about six such paper tests. The Sweet Briar College document on display is believed to be one of those, making it exceedingly rare. It will remain on view through July 4.

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➤ Lynchburg: Virginia’s Republican Party State Central Committee voted 55-17 Saturday to nullify the results of the city’s firehouse primary and declared the local Republican committee defunct. Affected candidates may now file as independents for November. (More)

➤ Newport News: Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility broke ground Friday on a new high-performance computing center, expanding the federal lab’s mission beyond particle physics and positioning it as a hub for government science computing contracts. (More)

➤ Arlington: The county’s public schools are partnering with transportation software company Transfinder to launch a new bus tracking app, giving parents real-time visibility into school bus locations and arrival times. (More)

➤ Richmond: The Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority board is considering partnering with the city on demolishing the shuttered Richmond Coliseum and redeveloping the site with a potential 500-room hotel and mixed-use amenities to boost downtown vibrancy. (More)

➤ Bedford County: Jens Soering, convicted in the 1985 stabbing deaths of his girlfriend’s parents, has filed a writ of actual innocence citing new DNA evidence that excludes him and points to two unidentified males at the crime scene—maintaining his innocence seven years after his 2019 parole. (More)

➤ Virginia Beach: Runners, walkers, and wheelchair athletes crossed the finish line together at the OK5K adaptive race, an event that brings all competitors to the same starting line. (More)

➤ UVA junior tennis player Jangjun Kim won his first career ITF World Tennis Tour singles title yesterday at the M15 tournament in Tokyo, Japan. (More)

➤ Virginia Tech football added to its impressive 2027 recruiting class on Friday, adding a commitment from 3-star defensive back Turmarian Moreland. (More)

➤ Washington Nationals center fielder Dylan Crews showcased his top-end speed on Saturday, scoring from first base on a single in an 8-3 Nationals victory. (See Highlight)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | NHL | MLB | College World Series | WNBA | Golf | NASCAR | F1

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➤ Virginia lawmakers questioned the cost of rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative as Dominion Energy projected residential bills could rise by about $13 per month under a proposed carbon-trading rider. (More)

➤ Arlington County ranked No. 8 among America’s best cities for small businesses in a new Acuity Scheduling study, which cited the area’s dense commercial corridors, high consumer spending, and federal contracting access. (More)

➤ Roanoke will host the first U.S. headquarters of an Austrian life sciences company, with Virginia pledging $5 million in state incentives to land the deal and bring European biotech investment to Southwest Virginia. (More)

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➤ Three tall ships docked at Richmond’s Rocketts Landing this weekend for SailFest, a free celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, with fireworks and drone light shows over the James River Saturday night. (See Photos)

➤ Students from Hampton High School’s Virginia Ship Repair Association Maritime Academy built a full-scale, authentic Native American dugout canoe throughout the school year and launched it at Fort Monroe. (See Photos)

➤ Blue Willow Tea Room in Petersburg is drawing tea lovers from across Virginia and beyond with its traditional English afternoon tea service, offering guests a chance to unplug, relax, and enjoy conversation over tea and treats. (See Photos)

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Do you plan to vote early in the Virginia primary?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Not sure

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you sailed on a tall ship?

1. No: 58%
2. Yes: 22%
3. Depends on what you consider a tall ship: 20%

What historic Virginia hotel serves afternoon tea on its mezzanine balcony overlooking the Rotunda lobby?

Show me the answer