RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Virginians can now vote in the U.S. congressional primaries, contests that will set matchups in key competitive races for November as Democrats and Republicans both eye control of Congress. The primaries are set for June 18 in Virginia, but the state's 45-day early voting period opened on May 3. Democrats and Republicans are vying for their party’s nomination in House of Representatives races, including some going up against incumbents, and five GOP candidates are lining up to challenge U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D). RULES TO KNOW In this Nov. 3, 2020, file photo voters cast their ballots under a giant mural at Robious Elementary School on Election Day, in Midlothian, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Registered Virginia voters can go to their local general registrar’s office to cast their ballots early during a 45-day window. You can register to vote or check your status here. Some counties and cities have more early voting locations for their residents, and voters can drop off their absentee ballots at voter registration offices, designated places and drop-off boxes. On Election Day, polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Even after polls close, voters in line by 7 p.m. can cast a ballot. Important dates and deadlines for voters: May 28: Last day to register or update your address to vote a regular ballot June 7 by 5 p.m.: Last day to request a ballot by mail June 8: Local voter registration offices open for in-person early voting on Saturday June 15: Last day to vote early in person at voter registration office June 18: Election Day for primaries Virginians not registered to vote can take advantage of same-day registration and cast a provisional ballot at their polling place. Voters need to bring an accepted form of identification – but one with a photo is not required. Voters turned away from a polling place for whatever reason – unless they are at the wrong location – should ask for a provisional ballot to vote, per the state Department of Elections. You can find more answers about Election Day online. PRIMARIES TO WATCH U.S. Senate Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) speaks to a reporter before the weekly Senate Democratic policy luncheon on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Five Republicans are running to be the GOP challenger against Sen. Kaine (D), who is running for a third, six-year term in the U.S. Senate. Kaine, who served as Virginia governor, the state’s lieutenant governor and Richmond mayor, was Hillary Clinton’s vice-presidential running mate in the 2016 election. Here are the Republicans hoping to run against him in November: Hung Cao Hung Cao, a retired Navy Captain, was the Republican nominee in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District race in 2022, losing to Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D). Cao, a Vietnamese refugee, came to Virginia as a child and was part “of the inaugural graduating class of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria,” per his campaign website. He lists border security, DEI/CRT, the economy and more as issues he’s focused on, per his site.   Jonathan Emord Jonathan Emord is an attorney and author who served as a Federal Communications Commission attorney during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, per his campaign website. His website touts Emord’s winning cases against the Food and Drug Administration and praise from former Rep. Ron Paul (R). Emord’s campaign website shares his “Vision for America,” which includes protecting right to work, cutting government spending and individual and corporate taxes.   Eddie Garcia Eddie Garcia, a 22-year Army veteran and small business owner, completed three combat deployments in both Iraq and Afghanistan, per his campaign website. Among other proposals, Garcia’s campaign website says he supports school choice, limiting U.S. senators to two terms and increasing the child tax credit. Scott Parkinson Scott Parkinson, the chief of staff for Ron DeSantis when he was in the U.S. House, is the vice president of government affairs at the conservative group Club for Growth. Per his campaign website, Parkinson calls himself a “warrior for the middle class” who believes the federal government’s role “is that of a Constitutionally limited Republic with an explicit separation of powers to protect and defend our unalienable God-given rights within the powers vested in the Constitution to the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branch.” Chuck Smith Chuck Smith, an attorney and former chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia Beach, lost out to then-Delegate Jason Miyares for the Republican nomination in the 2021 Virginia Attorney General election. Smith’s campaign website says he will work to “Stop the shredding of the U.S. Constitution,” by making sure all of its provisions “are equally enforced at all levels of government.” Smith is running for federal office, but his platform also says he will “Review and redress the liberal agenda of the 2020 Virginia General Assembly” if elected. U.S. HOUSE PRIMARIES IN THE RICHMOND AREA District 1 Virginia’s 1st Congressional District (courtesy of the Supreme Court of Virginia) Democrats Herb Jones and Leslie Mehta are running to challenge Rep. Rob Wittman, who won his eighth, full two-year term in November 2022. The largest share of voters in the district comes from parts of Chesterfield (20%) and Henrico (23%) and it "leans Republican," according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Rep. Wittman won in 2022 with almost 57% of the vote.    Herb Jones Herb Jones, a retired U.S. Army colonel who served as New Kent County treasurer, is the CEO of a cloud-computing and logistics firm. Jones, who retired from the Army with the rank of full colonel after 30 years, was awarded the Bronze Star for service in Iraq, his campaign website states. In 2022, he lost against Rep. Wittman.   Leslie Mehta Leslie Mehta is a civil rights attorney who served as the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia. On her campaign website, Mehta highlights the work she did to advocate for her late daughter to get education opportunities for her and make sure she got Medicaid benefits after being diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Her website also touts the notable endorsements her campaign has received. District 5 Virginia’s 5th Congressional District (courtesy of the Supreme Court of Virginia) The district, anchored in Southside Virginia, shifted after the state’s redistricting process. It includes Charlottesville but doesn’t stretch north of Fredericksburg like before and now includes Goochland, Powhatan, Louisa and parts of Hanover County. The Republican primary for the GOP nomination in Virginia's 5th Congressional District race pits incumbent Rep. Bob Good against state Sen. John McGuire (Goochland). The bid from McGuire, a former Navy SEAL and state delegate since 2018, sets up a GOP battle between two ultra-conservatives in a red congressional district. Good, a two-term congressman and the House Freedom Caucus chairman, won the seat by a wider margin in 2022 after redistricting shifted the district. Rep. Good won the district with more than 57% of the vote in 2022. VPAP has the district as “leans Republican.” Three candidates are running for the Democratic nomination: Paul Riley, Gary Terry and Gloria Witt. Paul Riley Riley, who served in the Army for more than 20 years, is an intelligence solutions lead with a defense contractor, per his campaign website. Riley’s website lists accountability and transparency among his top issues, saying he backs “curtailing the lobbying industry to prevent undue influence.” Gary Terry Terry, a U.S. Military Academy at West Point graduate, has been a corporate executive, entrepreneur, and executive director for the YMCA and CEO for the Boys and Girls Clubs, per his campaign website. He considers himself “a moderate pragmatic problem solver” who wants a more efficient government, his campaign site states. Gloria Witt Witt worked with a nuclear energy business for 32 years before becoming the founder and CEO of Define Success Coaching, which her campaign site says is “committed to developing executives and leaders that are known for their ability to produce defined results whether in a commercial, government, non-profit, or faith-based organizations.” Per her campaign website, Witt wants to ban assault weapons, expand voting access, “restore reproductive rights” and expand basic health care access. This story will be updated with new candidates, if anyone drops out or if there are any major developments.