Sen. Joe Morrissey, a political centrist and increasingly rare Democrat who supports limits on abortion access, lost to former state legislator Lashrecse Aird, who calls herself a 100% supporter of abortion rights.

“Joe’s been here too long. It’s time for new blood,” said Gail Coleman, 62, who voted for Aird Tuesday afternoon in suburban Richmond.

Republican Sen. Amanda Chase, a right-wing firebrand who has served in the Senate since 2016 and embraced falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election, was edged out by Glen Sturtevant, a lawyer and former senator seeking a political comeback in the red-leaning suburban Richmond district.

Get the latest results here.

Voters decided dozens of other nominees, including in some swing districts that will help determine the balance of power in the General Assembly in the November election. Virginia’s Legislature is closely divided politically, and the state is one of just a few that holds its legislative races in odd-numbered years. The unusual calendar and quasi-swing state status make Virginia worth watching for hints of voter sentiment ahead of the next midterms or presidential cycle.

Both parties and both chambers had competitive contests on Tuesday’s ballot, and an unusually high number of sitting officeholders faced serious challenges in an election season upended by new political maps.

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This year marks the first cycle in which legislative candidates are running in districts created during the redistricting process that ended in late 2021. The new maps were drawn by outside experts without regard to protecting incumbents. That’s contributed to a wave of retirements by many veteran lawmakers and diminished the name-recognition advantage for incumbents, some of whom ran in almost entirely new districts.

The losses by Chase, Morrissey and their colleagues will add to the already lofty turnover.

In another high-profile race, Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a veteran legislator, knocked off Sen. Lionell Spruill. The race for the heavily Democratic Hampton Roads seat was one of only two featuring current members of the same chamber running against one another. It was marked by particularly sharp personal attacks on social media and in TV ads.

Lucas, who has served in the Senate since 1992, campaigned as a fighter. She donned boxing gloves in some ads, promising to take on Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

“MOMMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT!” she tweeted.

In Northern Virginia, challengers upset at least two other Democratic incumbents.

Saddam Salim, a first-generation immigrant and political activist, defeated moderate Democratic Sen. Chap Petersen, a lawyer who angered the angered the liberal wing of his party by providing a key vote for Republicans in getting some of Youngkin’s priorities across the finish line, including legislation that ended school mask mandates last year.

Stella Pekarsky, a member of the Fairfax County School Board, beat Democratic Sen. George Barker, who has served in the Senate since 2008 and wields significant influence as co-chair of the chamber’s Finance and Appropriations Committee.

In a contentious Republican contest for a southwest Virginia House seat, freshman Del. Wren Williams defeated fellow Del. Marie March. In northern Virginia, former CIA officer Russet Perry secured the Democratic nomination in a Senate seat expected to be a key battleground in the general election.

Elsewhere, incumbents easily cruised past challengers. Democratic Sen. Lamont Bagby handily defeated Katie Gooch in a Richmond-area race, and Sen. Dave Marsden defeated Heidi Drauschak, who was backed by the big-spending advocacy group Clean Virginia.

In a Charlottesville-anchored seat, Democratic Sen. Creigh Deeds fended off a spirited challenge from Sally Hudson, a member of the House of Delegates. Deeds, a respected advocate on mental health issues, campaigned as a pragmatic progressive whose experience and relationships in Richmond would be a boon to his constituents, an argument echoed by other incumbents.

Among Republicans, Chase was the only Senate incumbent to face a challenge Tuesday. She campaigned as a champion of gun rights and other conservative values. She also persistently repeated former President Donald Trump’s falsehoods about widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

Although Chase had campaigned with Youngkin after unsuccessfully seeking the party’s nomination for governor herself in 2021, Youngkin did not endorse her in the race. Nor did he wade into an eight-way Senate contest in the Shenandoah Valley won by farmer Timmy French.

But the night went especially well for other candidates the governor backed. All of the seven on the ballot Tuesday won their nomination contests. The three others in competitive races he backed had won party-run nominations earlier.

In the central Virginia Senate nomination contest with Morrissey, Aird was powered to victory with endorsements from an unusual number of legislators and members of the state’s congressional delegation. She also far outspent Morrissey, who ran a scrappy operation with no official campaign manager.

A disbarred attorney with a long history of personal and professional controversies, Morrissey calls himself “pro-life” but has long supported some abortion access. He has recently expressed a willingness to vote with Republicans to enact stricter limits.

Morrissey had time and again overcome personal controversies to win elected office. Campaigning this year, he faced allegations of mistreatment and physical abuse by his decades-younger estranged wife, which he strenuously denied.

Despite those headwinds, many observers were unwilling to count him out because of his long-established reputation as an effective grassroots campaigner who takes care of bread-and-butter issues for constituents. Morrissey conceded to Aird.

Aird, who works in higher education administration, will head into the general election season as the favorite in the blue leaning district south and east of Richmond.

A handful of other races were too early to call.

Get the latest results here.

Associated Press photographer Steve Helber contributed to this report from Dinwiddie.

In Loudoun County, Buta Biberaj won Tuesday over challenger Elizabeth Lancaster. In Arlington County, incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti defeated Josh Katcher, a former deputy in her office. Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano held off a challenge from Ed Nuttall.

The winners in Tuesday’s primary will face off in a November general election that will decide control of the closely divided General Assembly. Republicans are aiming for a complete lock on the commonwealth’s legislative agenda by winning back the state Senate, which Democrats now control by a 22-18 majority. In 2021, Republicans won a narrow 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates and swept every statewide constitutional office.

Virginia is one of just a handful of states with legislative elections this year. The unusual election cycle and Virginia’s quasi-swing state status mean the races often draw outsized attention as a potential bellwether for future national races.

Get the latest results here.

What we know so far on Northern Virginia’s commonwealth’s attorneys results

Commonwealth’s attorneys in Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties all had in-party Democratic challengers.

Biberaj, the projected winner in Loudoun County, raised significantly more money, but Lancaster had earned the endorsement of The Washington Post. Biberaj faced criticism, including some within her own party, over her day-to-day management of the office and as Loudoun found itself in the national spotlight over issues including school safety. She also faced criticism in her handling of two sex assaults at two different high schools in 2021.

In November, Biberaj will face Republican Bob Anderson, who held the commonwealth attorney’s post in Loudoun more than 20 years ago.

Biberaj told the Associated Press the general election race “will be about Loudoun County going forward or going backward 20 or 30 years.”

In Arlington County, incumbent Dehghani-Tafti defeated challenger Katcher, who had been one of Dehghani-Tafti’s deputies before leaving the office. Dehghani-Tafti is overwhelmingly favored in heavily Democratic Arlington County in November.

Biberaj and Dehghani-Tafti’s races were two of three in northern Virginia where candidates elected in 2019 as reformers faced primary challenges in which the challengers themselves largely embraced reform efforts and focused criticism on issues of day-to-day office management.

In Fairfax County, Descano defeated Ed Nuttall, a former prosecutor and trial attorney best known for representing police officers accused of misconduct.

“We went before the people of this county in a referendum where, quite frankly, the GOP was against us, a lot of money came in against us, and we bet on the people of Fairfax County, and they came through, because I think they saw that we’ve been successful, that we can have a safe community and also treat people fairly and justly,” Descano said.

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What we know so far on other races to watch

The election results in the House of Delegates and state Senate were expected to be dramatic, with high turnover in both chambers.

Democrats running for state Senate:

District 33 (southern Fairfax and northern Prince William): Former delegate and gubernatorial hopeful Jennifer Carroll Foy is projected to win over former delegate and lieutenant governor nominee Hala Ayala, who was trying to get back into the legislature.

District 29 (southern Prince William and northern Stafford): Del. Elizabeth Guzman challenged incumbent Sen. Jeremy McPike. The race was still too close to call.

District 37 (eastern Fairfax): Longtime senator Chap Petersen, first elected in 2007 after serving two terms in the House of Delegates, faced Saddam Salim, a more progressive candidate. The race was still too close to call.

Republican running for state Senate:

District 1 (Winchester, Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah): Timmy French, a farmer from Shenandoah County, won this newly created seat that attracted longtime Republican Del. Dave LaRock to run. It was a crowded contest with eight candidates. LaRock began serving as a delegate in 2014.

Arlington County Board:

All votes were counted. None of the six candidates got 34% of the vote in the ranked-choice voting, so it goes to a second round. Susan Cunningham, Natalie Roy and Maureen Coffee were in the lead.

How long does vote counting usually take?

In the 2022 general election, the vote count in Virginia lasted 10 days in some counties, but the updates were relatively small in the days after election day.

Mail-in ballots are accepted until Friday if they were postmarked by election day,

Get the latest results here.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Virginia voters don’t register by party, so anyone can vote in these open primaries, regardless of whether they consider themselves Democrat, Republican or independent.

A few days ago, Loudoun County’s Republican Committee began sending messages asking GOP voters to go to the polls and cast ballots for a list of four candidates. 

“The Republican Committee in Loudoun Co is explicitly asking Republican voters to come vote in our Democratic primary for a slate of candidates that the Republican Committee have endorsed, Loudoun County Democratic Party Chairman Avram Fechter said. “I’ve never seen that anywhere in modern American political history.”

One focus of the GOP push in Loudoun County is defeating incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj. They are asking party members to vote for Democratic challenger Elizabeth Lancaster.

In the three General Assembly contests, Republicans have a different motivation. 

“It’s a strategy designed to weaken the Democratic party, nominating less competitive candidates for the general election can only help Republicans,” University of Mary Washington political analyst Stephen Farnsworth said.

In Fairfax County, Republicans also are seeking to defeat an incumbent commonwealth’s attorney, Steve Descano, critical of his criminal justice reform platform. He’s being challenged by Democrat Ed Nuttall.

The move meant a major policy change. Fairfax Republican Committee rules barred members from voting in Democratic primaries, but Republican Supervisor Pat Herrity convinced party leaders to make an exception.

“This race was just too important, too critical to public safety in Fairfax County, so I asked the party to waive that requirement, and the party did waive that requirement for this one race,” he said. 

There is no Republican candidate in Fairfax County, so whoever wins the Democratic primary is likely to become the next commonwealth’s attorney. 

Fechter said he hopes what he calls GOP meddling might inspire even more Democrats go to the polls Tuesday.

“We’re urging every Democrat that lives in Loudoun County to come out and vote in the primary so that Democrats actually pick the Democratic nominee,” he said.

Political analysts say in low-turnout primaries, these GOP pushes could have an impact on the outcome.

The winners will face off in a November general election that will decide control of the closely divided General Assembly. Republicans are aiming for a complete lock on the commonwealth’s legislative agenda by winning back the state Senate, which Democrats now control by a 22-18 majority. In 2021, Republicans won a narrow 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates and swept every statewide constitutional office.

Voters also will weigh in on commonwealth’s attorneys, sheriffs and the chairs of boards of supervisors.

The polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. Anyone who’s in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote.

At the Fairfax County Government Center’s polling place in Fairfax, voters said they cast their ballot to weigh in on issues including the school board and environmental concerns.

“We need to choose who’s running our government,” one voter said.

Here’s info on how you can cast your ballot and what to expect on election night.

Is there a primary in my area? Am I registered to vote? Where do I go to vote?

The Virginia Board of Elections has a map and a list of places with primary elections on Tuesday.

Go here to look up where your polling place is. Go here to check your voter registration status. It’s too late to apply to get a mail-in ballot.

Virginia now has same-day voter registration. People who aren’t already registered to vote can vote using a provisional ballot. These ballots aren’t immediately processed by vote-counting machines; rather, they are subject to approval by the local electoral board before they are counted. Go here for more information.

Voters must provide an acceptable form of identification or sign an identity confirmation statement. Go here for additional information.

For a sample ballot, check the website of your county or city.

Can I vote for a candidate from any party?

Yes. Virginia has open primaries, which means voters can vote for anyone regardless of their registered political party. Voters choose a party ballot, and the choice is recorded.

What are some of the biggest races to watch?

The election results in the House of Delegates and state Senate are expected to be dramatic, with high turnover in both chambers.

Democratic Senate Races:

District 29 (southern Prince William and northern Stafford): Del. Elizabeth Guzman is challenging incumbent Sen. Jeremy McPike.

District 33 (southern Fairfax and northern Prince William): Former delegate and lieutenant governor nominee Hala Ayala is trying to get back into the legislature by running against former delegate and gubernatorial hopeful Jennifer Carroll Foy. They both were first elected in 2017, turning their red House seats blue.

District 37 (eastern Fairfax): Longtime senator Chap Petersen, first elected in 2007 after serving two terms in the House of Delegates, is facing Saddam Salim, a more progressive candidate.

Republican Senate Races:

District 1 (Winchester, Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah): This newly created seat attracted longtime Republican Del. Dave LaRock to run. He will face seven other candidates.

District 12 (Chesterfield County): Amanda Chase, who has described herself as “Trump in heels” is facing two GOP opponents: Tina Ramirez and Glen Sturtevant.

District 18 (Portsmouth, Chesapeake): High-profile lawmaker Louise Lucas faces her longtime local ally Lionel Spruill after redistricting combined their districts.

Commonwealth’s Attorneys:

Commonwealth’s attorneys in Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties are all facing in-party Democratic challengers. In Arlington County, incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti is running for her second term against challenger Josh Katcher. In Fairfax County, incumbent Steve Descano is running for his second term against challenger Ed Nuttall. In Loudoun County, incumbent Buta Biberaj is running for her second term against challenger Elizabeth Lancaster.

Boards of Supervisors Chairs:

The leaders of Fairfax County and Prince William County’s boards of supervisors, both Democrats, are facing in-party challengers. There’s a Republican race in Prince William County as well.

Sheriffs:

Sheriffs are on the ballot in Arlington and Fairfax.

What do we know about turnout and people voting in advance?

As of April 1, there were 6 million registered voters in Virginia, which doesn’t have party registration. In a change from previous elections, Virginia hasn’t released the number of advance votes cast before election day. In the 2022 general election, about a third of voters cast ballots before election day, both in person and by mail.

Mail ballots can arrive as late as the Friday after election day if they are postmarked by election day.

How long does vote counting usually take?

In the 2022 general election, the vote count in Virginia lasted 10 days in some counties, but the updates were relatively small in the days after election day.

What could these election results indicate beyond Virginia?

Virginia is one of just a handful of states with legislative elections this year. The unusual election cycle and Virginia’s quasi-swing state status mean the races often draw outsized attention as a potential bellwether for future national races.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

This year is no exception, with every seat in the Virginia state legislature up for grabs Nov. 7. And when there’s a November election, that means a spring primary.

This year, Virginia voters can cast ballots for their preferred candidates in either party on (or before) primary day, June 20. Early voting opened more than a month ago, but if you want to vote by mail, you’ll need to request your absentee ballot by June 9.

There are a few steps to take before then, whether you’re planning to vote by mail or just want to research your options.

Here’s what to know about the 2023 Virginia primary.

How to register to vote in Virginia

To vote in the 2023 primary, Virginia residents need to be registered to vote.

The deadline to register to vote, or to update an existing registration, was May 30. But according to the Virginia Department of Elections, you can register after that date and still vote in the primary or the election by using a provisional ballot.

Provisional ballots allow someone to vote if their ability to vote is in question — for example, if they are not in the database of registered voters, or if they decided to vote in-person after requesting a mail-in ballot. Provisional ballots are evaluated when all other votes are counted. If a voter is indeed eligible to vote, their provisional ballot is included in the tally. You can learn more about provisional ballots here.

To register to vote, go here to visit the Virginia Department of Elections’ citizen portal. The website will walk you through the process after you click the green “Register to Vote” button. (Make sure you know your Social Security number and have your driver’s license or state ID with you for the process.)

How to find sample ballots for your district for Virginia’s 2023 primary

Once you’re registered to vote, the easiest way to find your polling place, and see what candidates are on the ballot for your district, is to visit this Virginia Department of Elections website.

You can type in your Virginia address to see your election day voting site, as well as a list of early voting locations in your district. Those early voting locations also serve as ballot drop-off sites if you want to vote via absentee ballot but can’t mail it back by the deadline.

The same search results include a tab with a preview of candidates on the ballot in your district. Click “Ballot Info” to see names of candidates running for each position up for election.

What to know about primaries for both political parties:

• A number of districts in Virginia are only holding primaries for one party. For addresses in those districts, the page above will default to that party’s ballot.
• If you live in an area of Virginia that’s holding both Democratic and Republican primaries in 2023, the Department of Elections site will let you choose which party to preview after you look up your address.
• Note that some other counties and cities in Virginia won’t have a primary for either party this year.

Most counties also have their sites that offer links to official sample ballots for each district. Find info on your Northern Virginia city or county below:

• The City of Alexandria does not have a primary election this June.
• Arlington County is implementing ranked choice ballots for county board members in this June’s Democratic primary. Sample ballots are here.
• Fairfax County has sample ballots for the Democratic primary in several languages here.
• The City of Fairfax has sample ballots for the Democratic primary here.
• Loudoun County has sample ballots for the Democratic primary here.
• Prince William County has sample ballots for the Democratic and Republican primaries here.

How to apply for a mail-in ballot in Virginia

At the same Virginia Department of Elections website where you can register to vote, you can also apply for an absentee ballot. Voters no longer need to meet specific requirements to vote absentee. Any registered voter can get a mail-in ballot for the 2023 primary, as long as they apply before the deadline of June 9.

Click the green “Apply to Vote Absentee by Mail” button and follow the on-screen instructions to fill in your personal information. You’ll need your Social Security number and driver’s license or state ID with you.

Registered Virginia voters can also now choose to join the Virginia permanent absentee voter list. That option will send the voter ballots by mail, sent to the address on their Virginia voter registration record, for all future elections in which they’re eligible to vote.

Once you get your mail-in ballot, you can fill out your ballot and then either mail it back to the registrar’s office or drop off the sealed envelope at any of the early voting locations in your district.

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How to vote early in-person

Early voting began in Virginia on May 5 and will continue until June 17. (That’s the Saturday before primary day on June 20.)

If you’re registered to vote, all you need to do to vote early in person is to show up at an early voting location in your district. You don’t need any specific reason to vote early.

You do need to bring an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement, and share your name and address.

If you request an absentee ballot and then decide to vote in-person instead, you’ll need to turn in your blank absentee ballot at the polling place. If you don’t, you’ll need to fill out a provisional ballot instead.