For the first time, Virginia voters won’t need to provide an excuse to vote ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, thanks to changes in state law.

Beginning Friday, Sept. 18, registered voters can vote in person at designated locations. In-person early voting will continue through Saturday, Oct. 31.

Sept. 18 also is the day local voter registration offices will start mailing out ballots to voters who have requested them.

There’s more good news. Voters will not need a witness to sign the envelope containing their completed ballot. A court ruling sought because of the pandemic eliminates that requirement. The state is even paying the postage for mail-in ballots.

Details on early in-person voting, voting by mail, requesting an absentee ballot to vote by mail and acceptable forms of ID to vote are available on the state Department of Elections website at www.elections.virginia.gov.

Here is information on Richmond area locations for in-person early voting:

Richmond

Initially, there will be just one location for in-person early voting — 2134 W. Laburnum Ave., the new address of the Richmond Voter Registrar’s Office. Early voting will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with Saturday voting on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31. Mail-in ballots also can be dropped off at this location.

Beginning Saturday, Oct. 24, two additional early in-person voting locations will be open — City Hall at 9th and Broad streets in Downtown and the Hickory Hill Community Center, 3000 E. Belt Blvd. in South Side.

Details: (804) 646-5950 or www.richmondgov.com/registrar/

Henrico County

There will be two locations for early voting in person — the Henrico Voter Registrar’s Office in Administration Building Annex Room 105 at Henrico’s Western Government Center, 4305 E. Parham Road; and Room 100 at the Eastern Government Center, 3820 Nine Mile Road. Voters with mail-in ballots also can hand-deliver them to either location. Both offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Details: (804) 501-4347 or henrico.us/registrar/

Chesterfield County

Initially, in-person early voting will take place at one location—the Chesterfield Voter Registrar’s Office, 9848 Lori Road in the county government complex. Start- ing Monday, Oct. 19, four satellite voting

sites will operate from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays: Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Blvd.; LaPrade Library, 9000 Hull Street Road; North Courthouse Road Library, 325 Courthouse Road; and Ettrick-Matoaca Library, 4501 River Road. The five locations also will provide in-person voting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 31. Mail-in ballots also can be dropped off at those sites during operating hours.

Details: (804) 748-1471 or www.chesterfield.gov/Registrar

Hanover County

One early in-person voting location will be open—Wickham Building in the Hanover County Government Complex, 7497 County Complex Road. The office will be open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. It also will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 31.

Details: (804) 365-6080 or www.hanovercounty.gov/365/voting

To vote early in person or on Election Day, Nov. 3, voters must provide identification. The following forms of I.D. are accepted:

• Voter confirmation documents sent after you’ve registered to vote

• A Virginia DMV-issued driver’s license or identification card

• A valid U.S. passport

• Any ID card issued by the U.S., Virginia or local government in the state

• Any student ID card issued by a U.S. university or community college

• Valid student ID issued by a public school or private school in Virginia

• Employer-issued photo ID card

• Any current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document with your name and address

Registered voters who don’t have any of these forms of ID can sign an ID Confirmation Statement.

Voters dropping off absentee ballots must do so in person with a valid form of ID.

Important Deadlines

• Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 5 p.m. — Last day to register to vote in the November elections.

• Friday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. — Last day for absentee ballot requests and to apply by mail for an absentee ballot for the November election.

• Saturday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. — Last day to apply in person for an absentee ballot.

• Monday, Nov. 2 — Last day voters can request an emergency absentee ballot.