Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-950.4 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-950.4
Information to be included on campaign finance reports for political party committees
Status: in_force

A. The reports required by this article shall be filed on a form prescribed by the State Board and shall include all financial activity of the political party committee. All completed forms shall be submitted in typed, printed, or legibly hand printed format or electronically as provided in § 24.2-946.1 . Persons submitting the forms shall do so subject to felony penalties for making false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016 .

B. The report of receipts shall include:

1. The total number of contributors, each of whom has contributed an aggregate of $100 or less, including cash and in-kind contributions, as of the date of the report, and the total amount of contributions from all such contributors;

2. For each contributor who has contributed an aggregate of more than $100, including cash and in-kind contributions, as of the ending date of the report, the political party committee shall itemize each contributor on the report and list the following information:

a. the name of the contributor, listed alphabetically,

b. the mailing address of the contributor,

c. the amount of the contribution,

d. the aggregate amount of contributions from the contributor to date,

e. the date of the last contribution,

f. the occupation of the contributor,

g. the name of his employer or principal business, and

h. the locality where employed or where his business is located.

For each such contributor, other than an individual, the principal type of business and place of business of the contributor shall be substituted for subdivisions f and g, respectively. For each such contributor other than an individual, it shall be sufficient to list the address of the contributor one time on the report of receipts.

C. Upon transfer of a designated contribution to a designated candidate's campaign committee, the committee shall provide information to the campaign committee to identify the contributor as provided by § 24.2-947.4 .

D. The report of disbursements shall include all expenditures and give:

1. The name and address of the person paid;

2. A brief description of the purpose of the expenditure;

3. The name of the person contracting for or arranging the expenditure;

4. The amount of the expenditure; and

5. The date of the expenditure.

The report of disbursements shall itemize any expenditure made by credit card payment.

E. Each report for a political party committee shall list separately those receipts and expenditures reported to the treasurer or other officer of the committee by any person, campaign committee, or political committee pursuant to subsection B of § 24.2-950.3 , and in the case of in-kind contributions, shall set forth in each instance the source of the information reported.

F. The report shall list separately all loans, and for each loan, shall give:

1. The date the loan was made;

2. The name and address of the person making the loan and any person who is a co-borrower, guarantor, or endorser of the loan;

3. The amount of the loan;

4. The date and amount of any repayment of the loan; and

5. For any loan or part of a loan that is forgiven by the lender, the amount forgiven listed as both a contribution and loan repayment.

G. The State Board shall provide for a "no activity" report that may be filed for any reporting period in which the filer has no activity to report.

H. It is the responsibility of the treasurer that the report for the political party committee be filed and that the report be in full and accurate detail.

2006, cc. 787 , 892 ; 2008, cc. 152 , 289 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-312 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 3 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-312
Effective date of other redistricting measures; elections following annexation
Status: in_force

A. Any redistricting, other than the decennial redistricting, of any county, city, or town shall be effective at midnight December 31 of the year in which the redistricting occurs.

B. Members of county, city, and town governing bodies in office when any such redistricting measure is adopted shall complete their terms of office. The elections for their successors shall be held at the general election next preceding the expiration of the terms of office of the incumbent members and shall be conducted on the basis of the districts set out in the measures to accomplish the redistricting.

C. When a county has been redistricted as a result of annexation and the redistricting occurs in the year of a regularly scheduled November general election for members of the county's board of supervisors, the November general election shall be conducted from the newly established districts so long as the redistricting measure has been adopted prior to March 15 of the year of the election.

D. When a city or town has been redistricted as a result of annexation and the redistricting occurs prior to a regularly scheduled May general election for members of the city's or town's governing body, the May general election shall be conducted from the newly established districts so long as the redistricting measure has been adopted prior to the November 15 immediately preceding the election.

1990, c. 500, § 24.1-17.3; 1993, c. 641; 1995, c. 249 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-951.9 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 6 / Section 24.2-951.9
Final report requirement; disbursement of surplus funds
Status: in_force

A. Any referendum committee that disbands after having filed a statement of organization shall so notify the State Board. A final report shall be filed by the committee that sets forth (i) all receipts and disbursements not previously reported, (ii) an accounting of the retirement of all debts, and (iii) the disposition of the committee's surplus funds. This final report shall include a termination statement, signed by the treasurer or other principal officer listed on the statement of organization, that all reporting for the committee is complete and final.

B. Amounts received by a referendum committee as contributions may be disposed of only by one or any combination of the following: (i) transferring the excess to an affiliated organization of the committee; (ii) returning the excess to a contributor in an amount not to exceed the contributor's original contribution; (iii) donating the excess to any organization described in § 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code; (iv) contributing the excess to one or more candidates or to any political committee that has filed a statement of organization pursuant to this chapter; (v) contributing the excess to any political committee; and (vi) defraying any ordinary, nonreimbursed expense related to the referendum committee. It shall be unlawful for any person to convert any contributed moneys, securities, or like intangible personal property to his personal use or to the use of a member of the "immediate family," as that term is defined in § 30-101 , of the committee's treasurer or chief executive.

1990, c. 931, § 24.1-258.1; 1993, c. 641, § 24.2-921; 2003, c. 257 , § 24.2-910.1; 2004, c. 457 ; 2005, c. 745 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 ; 2009, c. 231 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-703 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 7 / Section 24.2-703
Application for absentee ballots for multiple elections for uniformed and overseas voters
Status: in_force

Any person who is eligible for a military-overseas ballot as defined in § 24.2-452 may file a single application to receive ballots for all elections in which he is eligible to vote absentee. The application shall be on a federal postcard application. An application from any person who is already registered or who is eligible for late registration under § 24.2-419 that is received by the general registrar no later than 5:00 p.m. on the eleventh day prior to the election shall be considered a standing request for absentee ballots through December 31 of the year following the calendar year of the date of the application or another shorter period the voter specifies. In the event that a second or subsequent federal postcard application is received from a voter, any previous applications shall be superseded and the duration of the most recently received application shall apply.

The general registrar shall retain the application and process the applicant's request for an absentee ballot for each election in accordance with procedures established by the State Board. The applicant shall specify by party designation the primary ballots he is requesting.

If an official reply to the application or an absentee ballot sent to the applicant is returned as undeliverable, no other ballots shall be sent. No ballot shall be sent to the applicant, and no voted ballot received from the applicant shall be valid, (i) for any election held after the voter has notified the registrar that the voter no longer wishes to be registered or (ii) after the registrar has received notification that the voter has registered to vote in another state.

1991, c. 603, § 24.1-228.1:1; 1993, c. 641; 2001, c. 793 ; 2004, c. 410 ; 2006, c. 438 ; 2010, cc. 449 , 645 ; 2011, cc. 427 , 458 ; 2012, c. 353 ; 2020, c. 289 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-947.3:1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-947.3:1
Certain contributions received from federal political action and out-of-state political committees; campaign committee responsibilities
Status: in_force

Prior to accepting contributions of $10,000 or more in the aggregate in any calendar year from any one federal political action committee or out-of-state political committee, the candidate campaign committee shall (i) request the federal political action committee's or out-of-state political committee's State Board of Elections registration number from the committee and (ii) verify that number with the State Board.

2006, cc. 771 , 805 , § 24.2-907.1.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-952.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 7 / Section 24.2-952.1
Statement of organization for an inaugural committee
Status: in_force

Each inaugural committee shall file with the State Board a statement of organization within 10 days after its organization. Any change in information previously submitted in a statement of organization shall be reported to the State Board within 10 days following the change.

The statement of organization shall include:

1. The name of the committee and its address in the Commonwealth;

2. The name and business address of the treasurer and his residence address in the Commonwealth who shall be deemed the agent of the inaugural committee for the purpose of service of process on the inaugural committee;

3. The name, residence address in the Commonwealth, business address, and position of the custodian of the books and accounts who works under the direction of the treasurer and the address where the books are maintained, if different from the business address of the custodian of the books and accounts;

4. The name and residence address of the elected official for whose inauguration the committee is organized;

5. The designated depository to be used for the receipt and holding of funds and contributions received by the committee, in an account in a financial institution within the Commonwealth; and

6. Such other information as shall be required by the State Board except that the account number for the designated depository account shall not be required.

1991, cc. 474, 709, § 24.1-254.3; 1993, c. 641, § 24.2-913; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-404.3 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-404.3
(Repealed effective July 1, 2027) Duty of Department of Elections; verification of registered voter lists
Status: repealed

On or before October 1 of each year, the Department shall conduct a match of the Virginia registered voter lists with the list of deceased persons maintained by the Social Security Administration.

2009, c. 492 ; 2015, c. 740 ; 2026, c. 1120 , cl. 2.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-241 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2.1 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-241
State Board to be furnished names of nominated electors selected by political parties; certain national conventions; vacancies
Status: in_force

A. In elections for President and Vice President of the United States, the appropriate chairman or secretary of each political party as defined in § 24.2-101 shall furnish to the State Board by noon on the seventy-fourth day before the presidential election (i) the names of the individuals nominated to be electors by the party at its convention held for that purpose, with the total number of its nominated electors equaling the whole number of senators and representatives to which the Commonwealth at that time is entitled in the Congress of the United States, together with the names of the political party and of the candidates for President and Vice President for whom the nominated electors are required to vote in the Electoral College, and (ii) a copy of the subscribed and notarized oath required by § 24.2-240.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, (i) the state political party chairman of a political party whose national convention has been scheduled to be held after the seventy-fourth day before the presidential election shall file by noon on the seventy-fourth day before the presidential election, with the certification of its nominated electors, a certification of the individuals expected to be nominated for President and Vice President at its national convention; (ii) the State Board shall certify candidates to the local electoral boards, and ballot preparation shall proceed on the basis of the state party chairman's certifications; and (iii) the candidates for President and Vice President nominated by the party at its national convention shall be certified to the State Board no later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixtieth day before the presidential election.

C. In the event of the death, withdrawal, or disqualification of a candidate of a political party for President or Vice President, or of a nominated elector of a political party, that party may substitute the name of a different candidate or nominated elector, as applicable, before the State Board certifies to the county and city electoral boards the form of the official ballots.

2024, c. 801 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-508 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-508
Powers of political parties in general
Status: in_force

Each political party shall have the power to (i) make its own rules and regulations, (ii) call conventions to proclaim a platform, ratify a nomination, or for any other purpose, (iii) provide for the nomination of its candidates, including the nomination of its candidates for office in case of any vacancy, (iv) provide for the nomination and election of its state, county, city, and district committees, and (v) perform all other functions inherent in political party organizations.

Code 1950, §§ 24-363, 24-364; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-172; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 119; 1973, c. 30; 1975, c. 515; 1978, c. 778; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-683 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-683
Writ for special election to fill a vacancy
Status: in_force

Whenever the Governor, Speaker of the House, President pro tempore of the Senate, or either house of the General Assembly orders a special election, he, or the person designated to act for the house, shall issue a writ of election designating the office to be filled at the election and the time to hold the election. He shall transmit the writ to the secretary of the electoral board and the general registrar of each county or city in which the election is to be held. Each general registrar shall post a copy of the writ on the official website for the county or city or at not less than 10 public places or have notice of the election published once in a newspaper of general circulation in his jurisdiction at least 10 days before the election. If the special election is held in more than one county or city, the general registrars may act jointly to have the notice published once before the election in the affected jurisdictions.

Whenever a special election is ordered to fill a vacancy otherwise than under the preceding paragraph, the officer ordering the election shall issue his writ of election at the time the vacancy occurs, designating the office to be filled at the election and the time and place to hold the election. He shall direct and transmit the writ to the secretary of the electoral board and the general registrar of each county or city in which the election is to be held. The general registrar, or general registrars if the election will be held in more than one county or city, shall proceed to cause public notice to be given of the election in the same manner as is required in the preceding paragraph.

A copy of any order calling a special election to fill a vacancy shall be sent immediately to the State Board.

Code 1950, §§ 24-138, 24-139; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-163; 1974, c. 428; 1975, c. 515; 1993, c. 641; 2003, c. 155 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-304.01 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 3 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-304.01
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2011, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1 , cl. 2, effective April 29, 2011.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-952.3 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 7 / Section 24.2-952.3
Information to be included on campaign finance reports for inaugural committees
Status: in_force

A. The reports required by this article shall be filed on a form prescribed by the State Board and shall include all financial activity of the inaugural committee. All completed forms shall be submitted in typed, printed, or legibly hand printed format or electronically as provided in § 24.2-946.1 . Persons submitting the forms shall do so subject to felony penalties for making false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016 .

B. The report of receipts shall include:

1. The total number of contributors, each of whom has contributed an aggregate of $100 or less, including cash and in-kind contributions, as of the date of the report, and the total amount of contributions from all such contributors;

2. For each contributor who has contributed an aggregate of more than $100, including cash and in-kind contributions, as of the ending date of the report, the campaign committee shall itemize each contributor on the report and list the following information:

a. the name of the contributor, listed alphabetically,

b. the mailing address of the contributor,

c. the amount of the contribution,

d. the aggregate amount of contributions from the contributor to date,

e. the date of the last contribution,

f. the occupation of the contributor,

g. the name of his employer or principal business, and

h. the locality where employed or where his business is located.

For each such contributor, other than an individual, the principal type of business and place of business of the contributor shall be substituted for subdivisions f and g, respectively. For each such contributor other than an individual, it shall be sufficient to list the address of the contributor one time on the report of receipts.

C. The report of disbursements shall include all expenditures and give:

1. The name and address of the person paid;

2. A brief description of the purpose of the expenditure;

3. The name of the person contracting for or arranging the expenditure;

4. The amount of the expenditure; and

5. The date of the expenditure.

The report of disbursements shall itemize any expenditure made by credit card payment.

D. Each report for an inaugural committee shall list separately those receipts and expenditures reported to the treasurer or other officer of the committee by any person, candidate campaign committee, political committee, pursuant to subsection B of § 24.2-952.2 , and in the case of in-kind contributions, shall set forth in each instance the source of the information reported.

E. The report shall list separately all loans, and for each loan, shall give:

1. The date the loan was made;

2. The name and address of the person making the loan and any person who is a co-borrower, guarantor, or endorser of the loan;

3. The amount of the loan;

4. The date and amount of any repayment of the loan; and

5. For any loan or part of a loan that is forgiven by the lender, the amount forgiven listed as both a contribution and loan repayment.

F. The State Board shall provide for a "no activity" report that may be filed for any reporting period in which the filer has no activity to report.

G. It is the responsibility of the treasurer that the report for the inaugural committee be filed and that the report be in full and accurate detail.

1970, c. 462, § 24.1-258; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 247; 1972, c. 620; 1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 616; 1978, c. 381; 1983, c. 119; 1990, c. 156; 1991, cc. 474, 709, § 24.1-254.3; 1993, cc. 341, 641, §§ 24.2-913, 24.2-914; 1997, cc. 364 , 392 ; 1999, c. 864 ; 2000, c. 304 ; 2001, cc. 618 , 810 ; 2002, c. 468 ; 2003, c. 248 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-950.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-950.1
Certain political party committees exempt
Status: in_force

A. Except as provided in subsections B and C of this section and subsection D of § 24.2-947.3 , any local district, county, or city party committee shall be exempt from the reporting requirements of this chapter. Contributions made by such committee to any candidate, his campaign committee, or a political committee shall be reported by the recipient of the contribution in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

B. The exemption provided in this section shall not be applicable to state political party committees, congressional district political party committees, or county or city political party committees for any county or city with a population of more than 100,000, or organized political party groups of elected officials. Any other political party committee shall be exempt from the reporting and notification requirements of this chapter, except as provided in § 24.2-945.2 , in each calendar year in which it does not accept contributions totaling more than $15,000, or make contributions and expenditures totaling more than $15,000. Any such committee shall be subject to such reporting requirements as soon as it accepts aggregated contributions, or makes aggregated contributions and expenditures, in excess of $15,000 in a calendar year. The first report filed pursuant to § 24.2-950.6 shall account for all receipts and disbursements during the calendar year and shall be complete through the completion date for the report period.

C. Upon transfer of a designated contribution to a designated candidate's campaign committee, each local district, county, or city political party committee shall provide information to the campaign committee to identify the contributor as provided by § 24.2-947.4 .

1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-254.1, 24.1-255; 1975, c. 515; 1981, c. 425; 1983, c. 119; 1988, c. 616; 1991, cc. 9, 709; 1993, cc. 641, 776, 921, § 24.2-911; 2004, c. 469 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 ; 2008, cc. 152 , 289 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-108 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-108
Compensation and expenses of members
Status: in_force

The General Assembly shall establish a compensation and expense plan in the general appropriation act for the secretaries and members of the electoral boards. The governing body for the county or city of each electoral board shall pay compensation, expenses, and mileage in accordance with the plan and be reimbursed annually as authorized by the act. The reasonable costs of electoral board members attending annual training programs provided by the State Board shall be included in the expense plan for electoral boards.

Each electoral board member shall submit a written claim for mileage and expenses authorized by the plan. The claim, when filed and found to be correct, shall be paid by the county or city. The county or city shall pay claims for mileage at the rate payable to members of the General Assembly.

The governing body of any county or city may pay to the secretary of the electoral board any additional allowance for expenses it deems appropriate and may pay to a full-time secretary any additional compensation it deems appropriate.

Each county and city shall furnish necessary postage and office supplies for the electoral board.

Code 1950, §§ 24-37, 24-38, 24-40, 24-41; 1952, c. 540; 1956, c. 658; 1958, c. 42; 1964, c. 515; 1966, c. 714; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-31; 1972, c. 620; 1974, c. 428; 1978, c. 778; 1981, c. 425; 1982, c. 650; 1993, c. 641; 2005, c. 380 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-633 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-633
Notice of final testing of voting system; sealing equipment
Status: in_force

Before the final testing of voting or counting machines for any election, the general registrar shall mail written notice (i) to the chairman of the local committee of each political party, or (ii) in a primary election, to the chairman of the local committee of the political party holding the primary, or (iii) in a city or town council election in which no candidate is a party nominee and which is held when no other election having party nominees is being conducted, to the candidates.

The notice shall state the time and place where the machine will be tested and state that the political party or candidate receiving the notice may have one representative present while the equipment is tested.

At the time stated in the notice, the representatives, if present, shall be afforded an opportunity to see that the equipment is in proper condition for use at the election. When a machine has been so examined by the representatives, it shall be sealed with a numbered seal in their presence, or if the machine cannot be sealed with a numbered seal, it shall be locked with a key. The representatives shall certify for each machine the number registered on the protective counter and the number on the seal. When no party or candidate representative is present, the custodian shall seal the machine as prescribed in this section in the presence of a member of the electoral board, the general registrar, or a designee of the electoral board or general registrar.

Code 1950, § 24-300; 1962, c. 260; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-210; 1981, c. 425; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 1998, c. 264 ; 2004, cc. 993 , 1010 ; 2014, cc. 540 , 576 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-101 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-101
(For contingent expiration date, see Acts 2026, cc. 992 and 1081, cl. 3) Definitions
Status: in_force

As used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Ballot scanner machine" means the electronic counting machine in which a voter inserts a marked ballot to be scanned and the results tabulated.

"Candidate" means a person who seeks or campaigns for an office of the Commonwealth or one of its governmental units in a general, primary, or special election and who is qualified to have his name placed on the ballot for the office. "Candidate" shall include a person who seeks the nomination of a political party or who, by reason of receiving the nomination of a political party for election to an office, is referred to as its nominee. For the purposes of Chapters 8 (§ 24.2-800 et seq.), 9.3 (§ 24.2-945 et seq.), and 9.5 (§ 24.2-955 et seq.), "candidate" shall include any write-in candidate. However, no write-in candidate who has received less than 15 percent of the votes cast for the office shall be eligible to initiate an election contest pursuant to Article 2 (§ 24.2-803 et seq.) of Chapter 8. For the purposes of Chapters 9.3 (§ 24.2-945 et seq.) and 9.5 (§ 24.2-955 et seq.), "candidate" shall include any person who raises or spends funds in order to seek or campaign for an office of the Commonwealth, excluding federal offices, or one of its governmental units in a party nomination process or general, primary, or special election; and such person shall be considered a candidate until a final report is filed pursuant to Article 3 (§ 24.2-947 et seq.) of Chapter 9.3.

"Central absentee voter precinct" means a precinct established pursuant to § 24.2-712 for the processing of absentee ballots for the county or city or any combination of precincts within the county or city.

"Constitutional office" or "constitutional officer" means a county or city office or officer referred to in Article VII, § 4 of the Constitution of Virginia: clerk of the circuit court, attorney for the Commonwealth, sheriff, commissioner of the revenue, and treasurer.

"Department of Elections" or "Department" means the state agency headed by the Commissioner of Elections.

"Direct recording electronic machine" or "DRE" means the electronic voting machine on which a voter touches areas of a computer screen, or uses other control features, to mark a ballot and his vote is recorded electronically.

"Election" means a general, primary, or special election.

"Election district" means the territory designated by proper authority or by law which is represented by an official elected by the people, including the Commonwealth, a congressional district, a General Assembly district, or a district for the election of an official of a county, city, town, or other governmental unit.

"Electoral board" or "local electoral board" means a board appointed pursuant to § 24.2-106 to administer elections for a county or city. The electoral board of the county in which a town or the greater part of a town is located shall administer the town's elections.

"Entrance of polling place" or "entrance to polling place" means an opening in the wall used for ingress to a structure.

"General election" means an election held in the Commonwealth on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November or on the first Tuesday in May for the purpose of filling offices regularly scheduled by law to be filled at those times.

"General registrar" means the person appointed by the electoral board of a county or city pursuant to § 24.2-110 to be responsible for all aspects of voter registration, in addition to other duties prescribed by this title. When performing duties related to the administration of elections, the general registrar is acting in his capacity as the director of elections for the locality in which he serves.

"Machine-readable ballot" means a tangible ballot that is marked by a voter or by a system or device operated by a voter, is available for verification by the voter at the time the ballot is cast, and is then fed into and scanned by a separate counting machine capable of reading ballots and tabulating results.

"Officer of election" means a person appointed by an electoral board pursuant to § 24.2-115 to serve at a polling place for any election.

"Paper ballot" means a tangible ballot that is marked by a voter and then manually counted.

"Party" or "political party" means an organization of citizens of the Commonwealth which, at either of the two preceding statewide general elections, received at least 10 percent of the total vote cast for any statewide office filled in that election. The organization shall have a state central committee and an office of elected state chairman which have been continually in existence for the six months preceding the filing of a nominee for any office.

"Person with a disability" means a person with a disability as defined in § 51.5-40.1 .

"Polling place" means the structure that contains the one place provided for each precinct at which the qualified voters who are residents of the precinct may vote.

"Precinct" means the territory designated by the governing body of a county, city, or town to be served by one polling place.

"Primary" or "primary election" means an election held for the purpose of selecting a candidate to be the nominee of a political party for election to office.

"Printed ballot" means a tangible ballot that is printed on paper and includes both machine-readable ballots and paper ballots.

"Qualified voter" means a person who is entitled to vote pursuant to the Constitution of Virginia and who is (i) 18 years of age on or before the day of the election or qualified pursuant to § 24.2-403 or subsection D of § 24.2-544 , (ii) a resident of the Commonwealth and of the precinct in which he offers to vote, and (iii) a registered voter. No person who has been convicted of a felony shall be a qualified voter unless his civil rights have been restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. No person adjudicated incapacitated shall be a qualified voter unless his capacity has been reestablished as provided by law. Whether a signature should be counted towards satisfying the signature requirement of any petition shall be determined based on the signer of the petition's qualification to vote. For purposes of determining if a signature on a petition shall be included in the count toward meeting the signature requirements of any petition, "qualified voter" shall include only persons maintained on the Virginia voter registration system (a) with active status and (b) with inactive status who are qualified to vote for the office for which the petition was circulated.

"Qualified voter in a town" means a person who is a resident within the corporate boundaries of the town in which he offers to vote, duly registered in the county of his residence, and otherwise a qualified voter.

"Referendum" means any election held pursuant to law to submit a question to the voters for approval or rejection.

"Registered voter" means any person who is maintained on the Virginia voter registration system. All registered voters shall be maintained on the Virginia voter registration system with active status unless assigned to inactive status by a general registrar in accordance with Chapter 4 (§ 24.2-400 et seq.). For purposes of applying the precinct size requirements of § 24.2-307 , calculating election machine requirements pursuant to Article 3 (§ 24.2-625 et seq.) of Chapter 6, mailing notices of local election district, precinct or polling place changes as required by subdivision 13 of § 24.2-114 and § 24.2-306 , and determining the number of signatures required for candidate and voter petitions, "registered voter" shall include only persons maintained on the Virginia voter registration system with active status. For purposes of determining if a signature on a petition shall be included in the count toward meeting the signature requirements of any petition, "registered voter" shall include only persons maintained on the Virginia voter registration system (i) with active status and (ii) on inactive status who are qualified to vote for the office for which the petition was circulated.

"Registration records" means all official records concerning the registration of qualified voters and shall include all records, lists, applications, and files, whether maintained in books, on cards, on automated data bases, or by any other legally permitted record-keeping method.

"Residence" or "resident", for all purposes of qualification to register and vote, means and requires both domicile and a place of abode. To establish domicile, a person must live in a particular locality with the intention to remain. A place of abode is the physical place where a person dwells.

"Special election" means any election that is held pursuant to law to fill a vacancy in office or to hold a referendum.

"State Board" or "Board" means the State Board of Elections.

"Virginia voter registration system" or "voter registration system" means the automated central record-keeping system for all voters registered within the Commonwealth that is maintained as provided in Article 2 (§ 24.2-404 et seq.) of Chapter 4.

"Voting system" means the electronic voting and counting machines used at elections, including direct recording electronic machines (DRE), ballot scanner machines, and on-demand ballot printing systems and ballot marking devices used to manufacture or mark ballots to be cast by voters on electronic voting and counting machines.

Code 1950, §§ 24-17, 24-18, 24-18.2, 24-22, 24-23, 24-44, 24-136, 24-137, 24-172, 24-346; 1956, c. 378; 1963, Ex. Sess., c. 2; 1964, c. 592; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-1, 24.1-41, 24.1-42, 24.1-93; 1971, Ex. Sess., cc. 119, 205, 265; 1972, c. 620; 1973, c. 30; 1974, c. 428; 1975, c. 515; 1977, cc. 30, 490; 1978, c. 778; 1982, c. 650; 1983, c. 461; 1989, c. 322; 1991, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 12; 1993, c. 641; 1996, cc. 72 , 73 ; 1997, c. 801 ; 1998, c. 866 ; 2001, c. 719 ; 2002, c. 487 ; 2003, c. 1015 ; 2005, c. 384 ; 2006, cc. 205 , 787 , 892 ; 2007, c. 311 ; 2008, c. 880 ; 2009, cc. 865 , 870 , 874 ; 2010, c. 707 ; 2013, cc. 542 , 684 ; 2014, cc. 540 , 576 ; 2015, c. 740 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 ; 2020, c. 294 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 471 ; 2022, cc. 125 , 126 ; 2024, cc. 191 , 515 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-232 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2 / Article 7 / Section 24.2-232
Vacancy occurring when officer adjudicated to lack capacity to understanding voting
Status: in_force

The office of any person who is adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting in a judicial proceeding as provided for in Chapter 20 (§ 64.2-2000 et seq.) of Title 64.2 shall become vacant and the vacancy filled in the manner provided by law. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 20 (§ 64.2-2000 et seq.) of Title 64.2, however, any officer shall have a jury trial unless it is waived by him or for him by his counsel of record.

1975, cc. 515, 595, § 24.1-79.4; 1993, c. 641; 1997, c. 921 ; 1998, c. 582 ; 2026, cc. 442 , 443 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-947.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-947.1
(Effective until January 1, 2027) Statement of organization
Status: in_force

A. Any individual seeking or campaigning for an office of the Commonwealth or one of its governmental units in a party nomination process or general, primary, or special election shall file a statement of organization within 10 days of meeting any one of the following conditions:

1. Acceptance of a contribution;

2. Expenditure of any funds;

3. The payment of a filing fee for any party nomination method;

4. The filing of a candidate statement of qualification pursuant to § 24.2-501 ;

5. The appointment of a campaign treasurer, designation of a campaign committee, or designation of a campaign depository; or

6. In the case of a candidate for a town office in a town with a population of less than 25,000 that has not otherwise adopted the provisions of this chapter by ordinance, acceptance of a contribution or expenditure of funds that brings the total amount of contributions accepted or funds expended to more than $25,000 within the candidate's election cycle, as set forth in § 24.2-947 .

B. Candidates for statewide office shall file the statement with the State Board. Candidates for the General Assembly shall file the statement with the State Board and a copy of the statement with the general registrar of the locality of the candidate's residence. Candidates for local or constitutional office shall file the statement with the general registrar and, if the statement indicates that the candidate committee will be filing electronically, a copy with the State Board.

C. The statement of organization shall include the following information:

1. The full name and residence address of the candidate;

2. The full name and mailing address for the campaign committee;

3. The full name, residence address, and daytime phone number of the treasurer;

4. The office being sought and district, if any, for the office;

5. The recognized political party affiliation of the candidate for statewide office or the General Assembly. In the absence of any political party affiliation, independent shall be used;

6. The name of the financial institution for his campaign depository; and

7. Such other information as shall be required by the State Board except that the account number for a designated depository account shall not be required.

D. In the case of any candidate who seeks election for successive terms in the same office, the statement of organization filed by the candidate shall continue in effect for such successive elections, but the candidate shall file notice of any changes in the information provided on the form within 10 days of the change with the State Board, general registrar, or both, as appropriate.

1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-253, 24.1-254; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 222; 1972, cc. 620, 622; 1975, c. 515; 1978, c. 778; 1983, c. 119; 1984, c. 480; 1993, c. 641, § 24.2-904; 1996, c. 405 ; 2003, c. 248 ; 2004, cc. 441 , 480 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 ; 2007, cc. 151 , 286 ; 2015, cc. 644 , 645 ; 2019, c. 825 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-676 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-676
(Effective until January 1, 2027) Secretary to make out and deliver certificate of election
Status: in_force

Immediately after the electoral board has determined the election results, the secretary shall make out certificates of election for each county, city, town, or district office other than an office shared by more than one county or city, or any combination thereof. The secretary shall make out the certificate for each of the persons who has the highest number of votes for the office, who has sufficient votes to be elected to a multi-member office, or, in case of a tie, who has been decided by lot to be elected. The secretary, or another board member or registrar designated by the secretary, shall deliver in person or the secretary shall transmit by certified mail the certificate to the person elected, as soon as such person has complied with the provisions of § 24.2-948.2 .

Code 1950, § 24-282; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-151; 1972, c. 620; 1975, c. 515; 1980, c. 639; 1983, c. 264; 1993, c. 641; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-949.12 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 4.1 / Section 24.2-949.12
Out-of-state political committees; additional requirements
Status: in_force

Prior to accepting contributions of $10,000 or more in the aggregate in any calendar year from any other out-of-state political committee, an out-of-state political committee shall (i) request its State Board of Elections registration number from that other out-of-state political committee and (ii) verify that number with the State Board.

2006, cc. 771 , 805 , § 24.2-910.3.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-641 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-641
Sample ballot
Status: in_force

The electoral board or general registrar shall provide for each precinct in which any voting or counting machines are used two sample ballots for each ballot style in use at that precinct. Such sample ballots shall be posted for public inspection at each polling place during the day of election.

Code 1950, § 24-298; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-208; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 2014, cc. 540 , 576 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 ; 2018, c. 464 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-103.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-103.1
Duties of Department of Elections related to redistricting
Status: in_force

A. Upon receipt of any ordinance and Geographic Information System (GIS) map sent pursuant to § 24.2-304.3 or 24.2-306 , the Department shall promptly review the ordinance and map and compare the boundaries contained within with the information in the voter registration system in order to ensure voters have been assigned to the correct districts. The Department shall notify the locality of any corrections that may be necessary.

B. The Department shall maintain and make available on its official website maps showing the current election district and precinct boundaries of each county and city.

2019, cc. 777 , 778 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-101.01 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-101.01
Certified mail; subsequent mail or notices may be sent by regular mail
Status: in_force

Whenever in this title the State Board is required to send any mail or notice by certified mail and such mail or notice is sent certified mail, return receipt requested, then any subsequent, identical mail or notice that is sent by the State Board may be sent by regular mail.

2011, c. 566 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-702 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 7 / Section 24.2-702
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2015, c. 313 , cl. 2.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-1000 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 10 / Section 24.2-1000
Intimidation and threats toward election officials; penalty
Status: in_force

A. Any person who, by bribery, intimidation, threats, coercion, or other means in violation of the election laws willfully and intentionally hinders or prevents, or attempts to hinder or prevent, an election official or the employee of an election official from administering elections pursuant to this title is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

B. For purposes of this section:

"Election official" includes members of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, members of local electoral boards, general registrars, deputy registrars, and officers of election.

"Employee of an election official" includes persons employed by the Department of Elections or in the office of a general registrar.

Code 1950, § 24-191; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-264; 1993, c. 641; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 528 , 533 ; 2024, c. 787 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-805 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-805
Contest of elections of electors for President and Vice President or primaries for United States Senate or statewide office
Status: in_force

In an election of electors for the President and Vice President of the United States, or a primary for the United States Senate or any statewide office, the proceeding to contest shall be in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond before a special court composed of the chief judge of such circuit court and two circuit court judges of circuits not contiguous to the City of Richmond appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, or, in the event of his inability to act, then by the next senior justice, who shall at the time of appointment set the date for trial.

If the chief judge of the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond is absent, unable to sit in the proceeding, or recuses himself, the clerk of the court shall at once certify that fact to the Chief Justice. Then the Chief Justice or the associate justice acting in his stead shall appoint a third judge, who shall be, if possible, a judge of the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond or an adjoining circuit.

Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary: (i) notice of the intent to contest an election of electors for the President and Vice President of the United States shall be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. on the second calendar day after the day the State Board certifies the result of the election under § 24.2-679 , but not thereafter; (ii) a copy of the complaint shall be served by the contestant as provided under § 8.01-296 on each contestee and within five calendar days after the Board has certified the results of such election, otherwise the complaint shall not be valid; (iii) the contestee's answer shall be filed within five calendar days after the complaint is served on him; (iv) the contest shall not wait upon the results of any recount; and (v) the proceedings shall be held promptly and completed, in accordance with the provisions of 3 U.S.C. § 5, at least six days before the time fixed for the meeting of the electors.

Code 1950, § 24-393; 1952, c. 489; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-238; 1981, c. 570; 1993, c. 641; 2003, c. 268 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-102 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-102
Appointment; terms; Commissioner of Elections; prohibited activities
Status: in_force

A. The State Board of Elections is continued and shall consist of five members appointed by the Governor from the qualified voters of the Commonwealth, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. In the appointment of the Board, representation shall be given to each of the political parties having the highest and next highest number of votes in the Commonwealth for Governor at the last preceding gubernatorial election. Three Board members shall be of the political party that cast the highest number of votes for Governor at that election. When the Governor was not elected as the candidate of a political party, representation shall be given to each of the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members of the General Assembly at the time of the appointment and three Board members shall be of the political party having the highest number of members in the General Assembly. Each political party entitled to an appointment may make and file recommendations with the Governor for the appointment. Its recommendations shall contain the names of at least three qualified voters of the Commonwealth. Appointments shall be made with due consideration of geographical representation, and no two Board members shall reside in the same congressional district.

After the initial staggering of terms, Board members shall serve terms of four years, which shall begin on February 1 of the year of the appointment. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired terms. No member shall be eligible for more than two successive four-year terms. A member appointed for an unexpired term may be appointed for the two succeeding four-year terms.

Each year the Governor shall designate one Board member to be the chair of the Board and one Board member to be the vice-chair. The chair and vice-chair shall be members of opposite political parties.

No member of the Board shall be eligible to offer for or hold an office to be filled in whole or in part by qualified voters in the Commonwealth. If a member resigns to offer for or hold such office, the vacancy shall be filled as provided in this section.

No member of the Board shall serve as the chairman of a state, local, or district level political party committee or as a paid or volunteer worker in the campaign of a candidate for nomination or election to an office filled by election in whole or in part by qualified voters in the Commonwealth.

B. The Governor shall appoint a Commissioner of Elections, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, to head the Department of Elections and to act as its principal administrative officer. The Commissioner shall be appointed to a term of four years, which shall begin on July 1 of the year following a gubernatorial election. The Commissioner shall be a qualified voter of the Commonwealth.

The Commissioner shall receive the salary fixed by law. He may employ the personnel required to carry out the duties required by law and imposed by the Board.

The Commissioner shall not be eligible to offer for or hold an office to be filled in whole or in part by qualified voters in the Commonwealth. His candidacy for or election to such office shall vacate his position as Commissioner, and the Governor shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.

The Governor shall not appoint as Commissioner (i) any person who is the spouse of a member of the Board or of a person seeking election to an office or holding an elective office that is filled in whole or in part by qualified voters in the Commonwealth; (ii) any person, or the spouse of any person, who is the grandparent, parent, sibling, child, or grandchild of a member of the Board; or (iii) any person, or the spouse of any person, who is the grandparent, parent, sibling, child, or grandchild of a person seeking election to an office or holding an elective office that is filled in whole or in part by qualified voters in the Commonwealth. The Commissioner shall submit his resignation to the Governor on the date that any such person files as a candidate for election to an office that is filled in whole or in part by qualified voters in the Commonwealth.

The Commissioner shall not serve as the chairman of a state, local, or district level political party committee or as a paid or volunteer worker in the campaign of a candidate for nomination or election to an office filled by election in whole or in part by qualified voters in the Commonwealth.

Code 1950, §§ 24-24, 24-345.10; 1952, c. 509; 1956, c. 392; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-18; 1973, c. 30; 1975, c. 515; 1977, c. 576; 1980, c. 728; 1984, c. 444; 1993, c. 641; 2007, c. 350 ; 2013, c. 542 ; 2020, cc. 353 , 619 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-637 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-637
Furniture and equipment to be at polling places
Status: in_force

Before the time to open the polls, each electoral board shall ensure that the general registrar has the voting and counting equipment and all necessary furniture and materials at the polling places, with counters on the voting or counting devices set at zero (000), and otherwise in good and proper order for use at the election.

The general registrar shall have the custody of such equipment, furniture, and materials when not in use at an election and shall maintain the equipment in accurate working order and in proper repair.

Code 1950, §§ 24-296, 24-299; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-209; 1973, c. 30; 1974, c. 428; 1981, c. 570; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-677 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-677
State Board to open and record returns; application of Freedom of Information Act
Status: in_force

The State Board, on receipt of the certified abstracts of the votes given in the several counties and cities, shall open the abstracts and record and carefully preserve them.

The provisions of Chapter 37 (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.) of Title 2.2, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, shall not apply to the certified abstracts of the votes or any other documents used by the Board in ascertaining the results of any election until the results have been finally determined by the Board.

Code 1950, § 24-283; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-152; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 206; 1975, c. 515; 1980, c. 639; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-603.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-603.1
Postponement of certain elections; state of emergency
Status: in_force

For purposes of this section, "election" means (i) any local or state referendum, (ii) any primary, special, or general election for local or state office except a general election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and the General Assembly, (iii) any primary for federal office including any primary for the nomination of candidates for the office of President of the United States, or (iv) any federal special election to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate or the United States House of Representatives. In the event of a state of emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to Chapter 3.2 (§ 44-146.13 et seq.) of Title 44 or declared by the President of the United States or the governor of another state pursuant to law and confirmed by the Governor by an executive order, the Governor may postpone an election by executive order in areas affected by the emergency to a date, notwithstanding the provisions of § 24.2-682 , not to exceed 14 days from the original date of the election.

If a local governing body determines that a longer postponement is required, it may petition a three-judge panel of the Virginia Supreme Court, to include the Chief Justice as the presiding Justice, for an extension. The Chief Justice shall choose the other two Justices by lot. The Court may postpone the election to a date it deems appropriate, notwithstanding the provisions of § 24.2-682 , not to exceed 30 days from the original date of the election.

Only those persons duly registered to vote as of the original date of the election shall be entitled to vote in the rescheduled election.

If, as a direct result of the emergency, any ballots already cast at the polling places or equipment on which ballots have been cast, or any voted absentee ballots already received by the appropriate election officials or any equipment on which absentee ballots have already been cast have been destroyed or otherwise damaged so that such ballots cannot be counted manually or by a voting system, the Governor (i) shall specify that such ballots or votes previously cast by machinery or paper need to be recast on or by the rescheduled election date so that they may be counted and (ii) shall direct the appropriate election officials to immediately send replacement absentee ballots to all absentee voters whose voted ballots are known to have been so destroyed or damaged. Such instructions may be issued by executive order separately from the executive order postponing the election. Any absentee ballots duly cast and received by the rescheduled election date and able to be counted shall be valid and counted when determining the results of the rescheduled election; however, if more than one absentee ballot is received from any voter, only the first absentee ballot received and able to be counted shall be counted. Any person who was duly registered to vote as of the original date of the election, and who has not voted, or who is permitted to recast their ballot due to the emergency, may vote by absentee ballot in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 7 (§ 24.2-700 et seq.) in the rescheduled election. Official ballots shall not be invalidated on the basis that they contain the original election date.

If the postponement of the election is ordered after voting at the polls on the original election date has already commenced, all qualified voters in a precinct in which any voted ballots, voting equipment containing voted ballots or pollbooks recording who has already voted in that precinct have been destroyed or damaged as a direct result of the emergency, so that the votes cannot be counted or it cannot be determined who has already voted, shall be allowed to vote in the rescheduled election, and no votes cast at the polls on the original election date shall be counted. If the postponement of the election is ordered after voting at the polls on the original election date has already commenced and no ballots cast at the polls, voting equipment containing voted ballots, or pollbooks recording who has already voted in that election in that precinct have been destroyed or damaged as a direct result of the emergency, only qualified voters who had not yet voted shall be eligible to vote on the rescheduled election day and all votes cast on the original and postponed election dates shall be counted at the close of the polls on the rescheduled election day.

The provisions of § 24.2-663 requiring the voiding of all ballots received from any voter who votes more than once in the same election shall not apply to ballots otherwise lawfully cast or recast pursuant to this section; however, no more than one ballot may be counted from any voter in the same election. If one ballot has already been counted, any additional ballots from the same voter shall be void and shall not be counted. The provisions of § 24.2-1004 or any other law prohibiting any voter from voting more than once in the same election, or any oath attesting to the same, shall not apply to ballots otherwise lawfully cast or recast pursuant to this section.

No results shall be tallied or votes counted in any postponed election before the closing of the polls on the rescheduled election date. Officers of election in unaffected areas shall count and report the results for the postponed election after the close of the polls on the rescheduled election date. The counting may take place at the precinct or another location determined by the local electoral board.

The State Board shall prescribe appropriate procedures to implement this section.

2002, cc. 785 , 819 ; 2004, c. 205 ; 2014, cc. 540 , 576 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-951.5 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 6 / Section 24.2-951.5
Filing schedule for referendum committees for referendums to be decided at May general elections
Status: in_force

A. A referendum committee supporting or opposing a question on the ballot at a May election shall file the prescribed campaign finance reports as follows:

1. Not later than the eighth day before the election date complete through the eleventh day before the election date;

2. Not later than June 15 of the election year complete through June 10; and

3. Not later than July 15 of the election year complete through June 30.

B. A referendum committee may either (i) file a final report within six months after the referendum is held or (ii) continue as a political action committee more than six months after the referendum is held, provided that the committee submits an amended statement of organization to the State Board redesignating the committee as a political action committee and complies with the requirements for political action committees in Article 4 of this chapter including the reporting schedule set forth in § 24.2-949.6 .

2003, c. 257 , § 24.2-910.1; 2005, c. 745 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-627 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-627
Electronic voting systems; number required
Status: in_force

A. The governing body of any county or city that adopts for use at elections ballot scanner machines shall provide for each precinct at least one voting booth with a marking device for each 425 registered voters or portion thereof and shall provide for each precinct at least one scanner. However, each precinct having more than 4,000 registered voters shall be provided with not less than two scanners at a presidential election, unless the governing body, in consultation with the general registrar and the electoral board, determines that a second scanner is not necessary at any such precinct on the basis of voter turnout and the average wait time for voters in previous presidential elections.

B. The local electoral board of any county or city shall be authorized to conduct any May general election, primary election, or special election held on a date other than a November general election with the number of voting systems determined by the board and the general registrar to be appropriate for each precinct, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A.

C. For purposes of applying this section, a general registrar may exclude persons voting absentee in his calculations, and if he does so shall send to the Department a statement of the number of voting systems to be used in each precinct. If the State Board finds that the number of voting systems is not sufficient, it may direct the general registrar to use more voting systems.

1985, c. 458, §§ 24.1-203.1, 24.1-203.2; 1993, c. 641; 1996, c. 271 ; 1997, cc. 304 , 336 ; 2010, c. 214 ; 2014, cc. 540 , 576 ; 2015, cc. 667 , 740 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 464 , 492 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-643 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-643
Qualified voter permitted to vote; procedures at polling place; voter identification
Status: in_force

A. After the polls are open, each qualified voter at a precinct shall be permitted to vote. The officers of election shall ascertain that a person offering to vote is a qualified voter before admitting him to the voting booth and furnishing an official ballot to him.

B. An officer of election shall ask the voter for his full name and current residence address and the voter may give such information orally or in writing. The officer of election shall verify with the voter his full name and address and shall repeat, in a voice audible to party and candidate representatives present, the full name provided by the voter. The officer shall ask the voter to present any one of the following forms of identification: (i) his voter confirmation documents; (ii) his valid Virginia driver's license, his valid United States passport, or any other identification issued by the Commonwealth, one of its political subdivisions, or the United States, other than a driver privilege card issued under § 46.2-328.3 or an identification privilege card issued under § 46.2-345.3 ; (iii) any valid student identification card issued by any institution of higher education located in the Commonwealth or any private school located in the Commonwealth; (iv) any valid student identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by any institution of higher education located in any other state or territory of the United States; (v) any valid employee identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary course of the employer's business; or (vi) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document containing the name and address of the voter. The expiration date on a Virginia driver's license shall not be considered when determining the validity of the driver's license offered for purposes of this section.

Except as provided in subsection E, any voter who does not show one of the forms of identification specified in this subsection shall be allowed to vote after signing a statement, subject to felony penalties for false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016 , that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. A voter who requires assistance in voting by reason of a physical disability or an inability to read or write, and who requests assistance pursuant to § 24.2-649 , may be assisted in preparation of this statement in accordance with that section. The provisions of § 24.2-649 regarding voters who are unable to sign shall be followed when assisting a voter in completing this statement. A voter who does not show one of the forms of identification specified in this subsection and does not sign this statement shall be offered a provisional ballot under the provisions of § 24.2-653 . The State Board of Elections shall provide an ID-ONLY provisional ballot envelope that requires no follow-up action by the registrar or electoral board other than matching submitted identification documents from the voter for the electoral board to make a determination on whether to count the ballot.

If the voter presents one of the forms of identification listed above, if his name is found on the pollbook in a form identical to or substantially similar to the name on the presented form of identification and the name provided by the voter, if he is qualified to vote in the election, and if no objection is made, an officer shall enter, opposite the voter's name on the pollbook, the first or next consecutive number from the voter count form provided by the State Board, or shall enter that the voter has voted if the pollbook is in electronic form; an officer shall provide the voter with the official ballot; and another officer shall admit him to the voting booth. Each voter whose name has been marked on the pollbooks as present to vote and entitled to a ballot shall remain in the presence of the officers of election in the polling place until he has voted. If a line of voters who have been marked on the pollbooks as present to vote forms to await entry to the voting booths, the line shall not be permitted to extend outside of the room containing the voting booths and shall remain under observation by the officers of election.

A voter may be accompanied into the voting booth by his child age 15 or younger.

C. If the current residence address provided by the voter is different from the address shown on the pollbook, the officer of election shall furnish the voter with a change of address form prescribed by the State Board. Upon its completion, the voter shall sign the prescribed form, subject to felony penalties for making false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016 , which the officer of election shall then place in an envelope provided for such forms for transmission to the general registrar who shall then transfer or cancel the registration of such voter pursuant to Chapter 4 (§ 24.2-400 et seq.).

D. At the time the voter is asked his full name and current residence address, the officer of election shall ask any voter for whom the pollbook indicates that an identification number other than a social security number is recorded on the Virginia voter registration system if he presently has a social security number. If the voter is able to provide his social security number, he shall be furnished with a voter registration form prescribed by the State Board to update his registration information. Upon its completion, the form shall be placed by the officer of election in an envelope provided for such forms for transmission to the general registrar. Any social security numbers so provided shall be entered by the general registrar in the voter's record on the voter registration system.

E. This subsection shall apply in the case of any individual who is required by subparagraph (b) of 52 U.S.C. § 21083 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to show identification the first time he votes in a federal election in the state. At such election, such individual shall present (i) a current and valid photo identification or (ii) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. Such individual who desires to vote in person but does not show one of the forms of identification specified in this subsection shall be offered a provisional ballot under the provisions of § 24.2-653 . The identification requirements of subsection B of this section and subsection A of § 24.2-653 shall not apply to such voter at such election. The Department of Elections shall provide instructions to the electoral boards for the handling and counting of such provisional ballots pursuant to subsection B of § 24.2-653 and this section.

Code 1950, §§ 24-244, 24-245, 24-248, 24-252, 24-308; 1952, c. 581; 1962, c. 536; 1964, c. 593; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-125, 24.1-126, 24.1-129, 24.1-218; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 247; 1973, c. 30; 1975, c. 515; 1978, c. 778; 1981, c. 425; 1982, c. 650, § 24.1-126.1; 1984, c. 234; 1985, cc. 197, 458; 1987, c. 349; 1993, c. 641; 1995, c. 716 ; 1996, cc. 72 , 73 ; 1999, c. 725 ; 2000, cc. 366 , 451 ; 2003, c. 1015 ; 2004, c. 410 ; 2005, cc. 496 , 539 ; 2011, cc. 427 , 458 ; 2012, cc. 723 , 838 , 839 ; 2013, cc. 725 , 746 ; 2015, cc. 134 , 571 ; 2016, c. 399 ; 2020, cc. 296 , 1064 , 1065 , 1154 , 1227 , 1246 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 544 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-653.01 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-653.01
(Effective September 1, 2026, until January 1, 2027) Provisional ballots; electoral boards to make determination as to validity
Status: in_force

A. The electoral board shall meet on the day following the election and determine whether each person having submitted a provisional vote pursuant to § 24.2-653 was entitled to do so as a qualified voter in the precinct in which he offered the provisional vote. In the case of persons voting provisionally pursuant to § 24.2-653.3 , the electoral board shall determine of which district the person is a qualified voter. At the meeting, the voter may request an extension of the determination of the provisional vote in order to provide information to prove that the voter is entitled to vote in the precinct pursuant to § 24.2-401 . The electoral board shall have the authority to grant such extensions that it deems reasonable to determine the status of a provisional vote.

If the board is unable to determine the validity of all the provisional ballots offered in the election, or has granted any voter who has offered a provisional ballot an extension, the meeting shall stand adjourned, not to exceed 10 calendar days from the date of the election, until the board has determined the validity of all provisional ballots offered in the election.

B. The electoral board shall permit one authorized representative of each political party or independent candidate in a general or special election or one authorized representative of each candidate in a primary election to remain in the room in which the determination is being made as an observer so long as he does not participate in the proceedings and does not impede the orderly conduct of the determination. Each authorized representative shall be a qualified voter of any jurisdiction of the Commonwealth. Each representative, who is not himself a candidate or party chairman, shall present to the electoral board a written statement designating him to be a representative of the party or candidate and signed by the county or city chairman of his political party, the independent candidate, or the primary candidate, as appropriate. If the county or city chairman is unavailable to sign such a written designation, such a designation may be made by the state or district chairman of the political party. However, no written designation made by a state or district chairman shall take precedence over a written designation made by the county or city chairman. Such statement, bearing the chairman's or candidate's original signature, may be photocopied and such photocopy shall be as valid as if the copy had been signed.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), attendance at meetings of the electoral board to determine the validity of provisional ballots shall be permitted only for the authorized representatives provided for in this subsection, for the persons whose provisional votes are being considered and their representative or legal counsel, and for appropriate staff and legal counsel for the electoral board.

C. If the electoral board determines that such person was not entitled to vote as a qualified voter in the precinct or district in which he offered the provisional vote, is unable to determine his right to vote, or has not been provided one of the forms of identification specified in subsection B of § 24.2-643 , or the signed statement that the voter is the named registered voter he claims to be, the envelope containing his ballot shall not be opened and his vote shall not be counted. The general registrar shall notify in writing pursuant to § 24.2-114 those persons found not properly registered or whose provisional vote was not counted.

The provisional vote shall be counted if (i) such person is entitled to vote in the precinct pursuant to § 24.2-401 or (ii) the Department of Elections or the voter presents proof that indicates the voter submitted an application for registration to a state-designated voter registration agency or the voter's information was transmitted by the Department of Motor Vehicles to the Department of Elections pursuant to § 24.2-411.3 prior to the close of registration pursuant to § 24.2-416 and the registrar determines that the person was qualified for registration based upon the application for registration submitted by the person pursuant to subsection B of § 24.2-652 .

If the electoral board determines that such person was entitled to vote, the name of the voter shall be entered in a provisional votes pollbook and marked as having voted, the envelope shall be opened, and the ballot shall be placed in a ballot container without any inspection further than that provided for in § 24.2-646 .

D. On completion of its determination, the electoral board shall proceed to count such ballots and certify the results of its count. Its certified results shall be added to those found pursuant to § 24.2-671 . No adjustment shall be made to the statement of results for the precinct in which the person offered to vote. However, any voter who cast a provisional ballot and is determined by the electoral board to have been entitled to vote shall have his name included on the list of persons who voted that is submitted to the Department of Elections pursuant to § 24.2-406 .

If, in the processing and counting of provisional ballots, any machine-readable ballot is damaged or defective such that it cannot properly be counted by the electronic voting systems, a true duplicate copy shall be made of the damaged or defective ballot by a team of election officials representing both parties. The duplicate ballot shall be substituted for the damaged ballot. Every duplicate ballot shall be clearly labeled as such and shall bear an identifier that shall be recorded on the damaged ballot.

E. The certification of the results of the count together with all ballots and envelopes, whether open or unopened, and other related material shall be delivered by the electoral board to the clerk of the circuit court and retained by him as provided for in §§ 24.2-668 and 24.2-669 .

F. It is unlawful for any person (i) to knowingly carry on or about his person any firearm as defined in § 18.2-308.2:2 and (ii) to knowingly do so within 100 feet of any building, or part thereof, used as a meeting place for the local electoral board, unless such person is (a) a law-enforcement officer or a retired law-enforcement officer qualified pursuant to subsection C of § 18.2-308.01 6; (b) occupying his own private property that falls within 100 feet of the building used as a meeting place; or (c) an armed security officer, licensed pursuant to Article 4 (§ 9.1-138 et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1, whose employment or performance of his duties occurs within 100 feet of any building, or part thereof, used as the meeting place for the local electoral board while the electoral board meets pursuant to this section.

2020, cc. 735 , 908 , 909 , 920 , 1064 , 1065 ; 2024, c. 738 ; 2026, cc. 718 , 1078 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-608 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-608
Officers to decide order of voting
Status: in_force

The officers of election shall promptly decide any dispute as to the order in which qualified voters may vote, deciding who first offered, or if two or more offered at the same time, selecting the one who may vote first.

Code 1950, § 24-187; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-102; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-302.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 3 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-302.1
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2012, c. 1 , cl. 2, effective January 25, 2012.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-802.3 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-802.3
Costs of the recount
Status: in_force

A. Costs of the recount shall be assessed against the counties and cities comprising the election district when (i) the candidate petitioning for the recount is declared the winner; (ii) the petitioners in a recount of a referendum win the recount; or (iii) there was between the candidate apparently nominated or elected and the candidate petitioning for the recount a difference of not more than one-half of one percent of the total vote cast for the two such candidates as determined by the State Board or electoral board prior to the recount. Otherwise the costs of the recount shall be assessed against the candidate petitioning for the recount or the petitioners in a recount of a referendum. If more than one candidate petitions for a recount, the court may assess costs in an equitable manner between the counties and cities and any such candidate if both are liable for costs under this subsection. Costs incurred to date shall be assessed against any candidate or petitioner who defaults or withdraws his petition.

B. The court shall appraise the costs of the recount subject to the following limitations: (i) no per diem payment shall be assessed for salaried election officials; (ii) no per diem payment to officers of election serving as recount officials shall exceed two-thirds of the per diem paid such officers by the county or city for service on election day; and (iii) per diem payments to alternates shall be allowed only if they serve.

C. Any petitioner who may be assessed with costs under subsection A shall post a bond with surety with the court in the amount of $10 per precinct in the area subject to recount. If the petitioner wins the recount, the bond shall not be forfeit. If the petitioner loses the recount, the bond shall be forfeit only to the extent of the assessed costs. If the assessed costs exceed the bond, he shall be liable for such excess.

2020, c. 886 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-302.2 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 3 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-302.2
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2023, c. 455 , cl. 2.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-700.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 7 / Section 24.2-700.1
Persons entitled to vote by absentee ballot; persons confined awaiting trial or for conviction of a misdemeanor
Status: in_force

Any registered voter who is confined while awaiting trial or for having been convicted of a misdemeanor may vote by absentee ballot. Subject to penalties for interference with voting pursuant to § 24.2-1005.2 , the institution or facility in which such voter is confined shall:

1. Provide such voter with the means and opportunity to complete and submit a timely application for an absentee ballot in accordance with § 24.2-701 .

2. Provide such voter with the means and opportunity to mark his absentee ballot in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-707 .

3. Ensure such voter's marked absentee ballot is returned in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-709 .

2024, c. 553 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-511 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-511
Party chairman or official to certify candidates to State Board and general registrars; failure to certify
Status: in_force

A. The state, district, or other appropriate party chairman shall certify the name of any candidate who has been nominated by his party by a method other than a primary for any office to be elected by the qualified voters of (i) the Commonwealth at large, (ii) a congressional district or a General Assembly district, or (iii) political subdivisions jointly electing a shared constitutional officer, along with the date of the nomination of the candidate, to the State Board not later than five days after the last day for nominations to be made. The State Board shall notify the general registrars of the names of the candidates to appear on the ballot for such offices.

B. The party chairman of the district or political subdivision in which any other office is to be filled shall certify the name of any candidate for that office who has been nominated by his party by a method other than a primary to the State Board and to the general registrars of the cities and counties in which the name of the candidate will appear on the ballot not later than five days after the last day for nominations to be made. Should the party chairman fail to make such certification, the State Board shall declare that the candidate is the nominee of the particular party and direct that his name be treated as if certified by the party chairman.

C. In the case of a nomination for any office to be filled by a special election, the party chairman shall certify the name of any candidate (i) by the deadline to nominate the candidate or (ii) not later than five days after the deadline if it is a special election held at the second November election after the vacancy occurred.

D. No further notice of candidacy or petition shall be required of a candidate once the party chairman has certified his name to the State Board.

E. In no case shall the individual who is a candidate for an office be the person who certifies the name of the party candidate for that same office. In such case the party shall designate an alternate official to certify its candidate.

Code 1950, §§ 24-134, 24-345.3; 1952, c. 509; 1954, c. 523; 1956, Ex. Sess., c. 1; 1958, c. 309; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 17; 1960, c. 383; 1962, c. 536; 1964, c. 539; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-169; 1972, c. 620; 1978, c. 778; 1982, c. 650; 1993, c. 641; 2006, c. 83 ; 2014, c. 473 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-950.7 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-950.7
Large dollar reporting requirement for political party committees
Status: in_force

In addition to the quarterly reports required by § 24.2-950.6 , political party committees shall report any single contribution or loan of $10,000 or more received at any time during the calendar year within three business days of receipt of the contribution or loan.

1. The report shall be filed on a "large dollar contribution report" form prescribed by the State Board and shall be filed in writing or electronically in the same manner as the person or committee files its quarterly disclosure reports.

2. Any contribution or loan reported pursuant to this section shall also be reported on the next subsequent report required under § 24.2-950.6 following receipt of the contribution or loan.

3. For the purposes of this section, political party committees shall report as one contribution multiple contributions from a single source that have been subdivided into smaller amounts or given through different bank accounts for the purpose of evading the $10,000 threshold. A political party committee that receives contributions from affiliated organizations shall not be deemed to be receiving contributions from a single source.

1984, c. 480, § 24.1-923; 1991, cc. 9, 709; 1993, cc. 639, 641, § 24.2-923; 1995, c. 785 ; 2002, cc. 156 , 237 ; 2003, c. 256 ; 2004, c. 26 ; 2005, c. 9 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-415.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-415.1
Persons authorized to receive voter registration applications
Status: in_force

A. Any designated employee of a state-designated voter registration agency or Armed Forces recruitment office shall be authorized to receive a voter registration application when hand delivered by the applicant during the hours that the office is open.

B. The registration date for a valid voter registration application that has been hand delivered is the date when received by any general registrar or any person authorized to receive voter registration applications pursuant to subsection A.

1996, cc. 72 , 73 ; 2020, cc. 908 , 909 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-951.2 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 6 / Section 24.2-951.2
Referendum committee treasurer requirements and responsibilities
Status: in_force

A. The treasurer shall keep detailed and accurate accounts of all contributions turned over to and expenditures made by the referendum committee, the treasurer, or other officer on behalf of the referendum committee, or reported to the treasurer pursuant to this article. Such account shall set forth the date of the contribution or expenditure, its amount or value, the name and address of the person or committee making the contribution or to whom the expenditure was made, and the object or purpose of the contribution or expenditure.

Such books and records may be destroyed or discarded at any time after (i) one year from the date of filing the final report required by § 24.2-951.9 or (ii) a period of three years, whichever first occurs, unless a court of competent jurisdiction shall order their retention for a longer period.

B. All contributions and expenditures received or made by any referendum committee, or received or made on its behalf or in relation to the committee by any person, except independent expenditures, shall be paid over or delivered to the referendum committee's treasurer or shall be reported to the treasurer in such detail and form as to allow him to comply fully with this article. An independent expenditure shall be reported pursuant to § 24.2-945.2 in lieu of being reported to the referendum committee's treasurer.

C. It shall be unlawful for any referendum committee, its treasurer, or any person receiving contributions or making expenditures on the committee's behalf or in relation to the committee, to fail to report every contribution and expenditure as required by this article.

D. No referendum committee treasurer or other individual shall pay any expense on behalf of the committee, directly or indirectly, except by a check or electronic debit drawn on such designated depository identifying the name of the referendum committee. However, a treasurer or other authorized officer of the referendum committee may be reimbursed, by a check or electronic debit drawn on the designated depository, for the payment of expenses (i) paid by him by cash, check or electronic debit, or credit card, (ii) made on behalf of the committee, and (iii) fully documented by complete records of the expenditure, maintained as required by this chapter, and including receipts identifying the nature of the expenses and the names and addresses of each person paid by the recipient of the reimbursement.

E. A treasurer of a referendum committee (i) may establish a petty cash fund to be utilized for the purpose of making expenditures or reimbursing verified credit card expenditures of less than $200 if complete records of such expenditures are maintained as required by this chapter and (ii) may transfer funds from the designated campaign depository to an account or instrument to earn interest on the funds so long as the transferred funds and earned interest are returned to the designated depository account, complete records are maintained, and all expenditures are made through the designated depository account.

2003, c. 257 , § 24.2-910.1; 2005, c. 745 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 ; 2020, c. 349 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-127 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1.1 / Section 24.2-127
Interpretation of chapter
Status: in_force

All statutes, rules and regulations, and local laws and ordinances relating to the right to vote shall be construed or applied liberally in favor of protecting the right of voters to have their ballot cast and counted, ensuring that eligible voters are not impaired in registering to vote, and ensuring that voters who are members of a protected class have equitable access to opportunities to exercise the right of suffrage. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to deny, impair, or otherwise adversely affect the right to vote of any registered voter.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 528 , 533 ; 2026, c. 717 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-405 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-405
Lists of registered voters
Status: in_force

A. The Department of Elections shall provide, at a reasonable price, lists of registered voters for their districts to (i) candidates for election or political party nomination to further their candidacy, (ii) political party committees or officials thereof for political purposes only, (iii) political action committees that have filed a current statement of organization with the Department of Elections pursuant to § 24.2-949.2 , or with the Federal Elections Commission pursuant to federal law, for political purposes only, (iv) incumbent officeholders to report to their constituents, (v) nonprofit organizations that promote voter participation and registration for that purpose only, and (vi) commissioners of the revenue, as defined in § 58.1-3100 , and treasurers, as defined in § 58.1-3123 , for tax assessment, collection, and enforcement purposes. The Department shall provide, at no charge, the courts of the Commonwealth and the United States with the lists for their districts for jury selection purposes no more than two times in a 12-month period and shall provide, at a reasonable price, such lists any other time in that same 12-month period. The lists shall be furnished to no one else and used for no other purpose. However, the Department of Elections is authorized to furnish information from the voter registration system to general registrars for their official use and to the Department of Motor Vehicles and other appropriate state agencies for maintenance of the voter registration system, and to the Chief Election Officers of other states for maintenance of voter registration systems.

B. The Department of Elections shall furnish, at a reasonable price, lists of the addresses of registered voters for their localities to local government census liaisons and their staffs for the sole purpose of providing address information to the United States Bureau of the Census. The Department of Elections shall also furnish, at a reasonable price, such lists to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates for the sole purpose of maintaining a database of constituent addresses for the General Assembly. The information authorized under this subsection shall be furnished to no other person and used for no other purpose. No list furnished under this subsection shall contain the name of any registered voter. For the purpose of this subsection, the term "census liaison" shall have the meaning provided in 13 U.S.C. § 16.

C. In no event shall any list furnished under this section contain the social security number, or any part thereof, of any registered voter except a list furnished to a court of the Commonwealth or of the United States for jury selection purposes, a commissioner of the revenue or a treasurer for tax assessment, collection, and enforcement purposes, or to the Chief Election Officer of another state permitted to use social security numbers, or any parts thereof, that provides for the use of such numbers on applications for voter registration in accordance with federal law, for maintenance of voter registration systems.

D. Any list furnished under subsection A shall contain the post office box address in lieu of the residence street address for any individual who has furnished at the time of registration or subsequently, in addition to his street address, a post office box address pursuant to subsection B of § 24.2-418 .

E. No recipient of a list furnished under this section shall publish on the Internet any of the information contained in such list as a list, database, or other similar searchable format or provide information contained in a list furnished under this section to a third party for such purpose.

1970, c. 462, § 24.1-23; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 119; 1972, c. 620; 1973, c. 30; 1974, cc. 369, 428; 1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 616; 1978, c. 778; 1983, c. 348; 1993, cc. 144, 641; 1994, cc. 250 , 656 ; 1995, c. 314 ; 1996, c. 251 ; 1999, c. 843 ; 2000, cc. 512 , 556 ; 2001, cc. 612 , 626 ; 2003, c. 1015 ; 2004, cc. 184 , 410 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 ; 2007, c. 318 ; 2009, c. 318 ; 2010, c. 452 ; 2015, c. 712 ; 2020, cc. 290 , 369 ; 2022, c. 445 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-611 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-611
(Effective until July 1, 2027) Form and signing of pollbooks; records of persons voting; electronic pollbooks
Status: in_force

A. The following oath shall be on a form prescribed by the State Board, administered to all officers of election, and kept by the officers of election with the pollbook:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will perform the duties for this election according to law and the best of my ability, and that I will studiously endeavor to prevent fraud, deceit, and abuse in conducting this election."

The oath shall be administered to each officer of election by the general registrar, a member of the electoral board, or an officer of election designated by the general registrar and secretary of the electoral board, who shall be so identified on the form. The oath shall be signed by each officer of election and the person administering the oath. The pollbook shall be marked to identify the election for which it is used.

B. The Department shall provide the pollbook pursuant to subdivision A 7 of § 24.2-404 . The pollbook shall (i) provide a space for the officer of election to record the name and consecutive number of the voter at the time he offers to vote and (ii) be retained in accordance with the provisions governing pollbooks in this title. The Department shall make available a numerical check sheet required to be used with pollbooks in printed form to determine the consecutive number to be recorded with the name of the voter by the officer of election. In electronic pollbooks, the consecutive number shall be entered automatically when the officer of election records that the voter has voted. When the name and number of the last qualified voter have been entered on the pollbook, the officer of election responsible for that pollbook shall sign a statement on the check sheet, or on a separate form if an electronic pollbook is used, certifying the number of qualified registrants who have voted. The Department shall provide instructions to the local electoral boards, general registrars, and officers of election for the conduct of the election and for procedures for entering a voting record for each voter and recording each voter's name, including voters unable to enter the polling place, and for verifying the accurate entry of the voting record for each registrant on the Virginia Voter Registration System. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, for any election held on or after November 1, 2020, all pollbooks provided by the Department shall be in electronic form only.

C. The Department shall incorporate safeguards to assure that the records of the election, including the pollbook, voter count sheets, or other alternative records, will provide promptly an accurate and secure record of those who have voted.

D. Any locality may expend its own funds to purchase electronic pollbooks that have been approved for use in elections by the State Board.

E. The general registrar shall produce a paper copy of the pollbook specified in subsection B for each precinct in any primary or general election.

F. In the event that the electronic pollbooks for a precinct fail to operate properly and no alternative voter list or pollbook is available, the officers of election, in accordance with the instructions and materials approved by the State Board, shall (i) maintain a written list of the persons voting and (ii) provide to each person voting a provisional ballot to be cast as provided in § 24.2-653 .

Code 1950, § 24-257; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-135; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 119; 1976, c. 616; 1980, c. 639; 1981, c. 425; 1993, c. 641; 1994, c. 321 ; 1999, c. 810 ; 2000, c. 2 ; 2001, c. 839 ; 2002, cc. 66 , 216 , 785 , 819 ; 2003, c. 1015 ; 2008, cc. 88 , 424 ; 2010, c. 812 ; 2011, c. 810 ; 2020, c. 297 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-800 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-800
Recounts in all elections
Status: in_force

A. The provisions of this article apply to all elections held in the Commonwealth.

B. When there is between any candidate apparently nominated or elected and any candidate apparently defeated a difference of not more than one percent of the total vote cast for the two such candidates as determined by the State Board or the electoral board, the defeated candidate may appeal from the determination of the State Board or the electoral board for a recount of the vote as set forth in this article. When there is between any write-in candidate apparently nominated or elected and any candidate apparently defeated, or between any candidate apparently nominated or elected and any write-in candidate apparently defeated, a difference of not more than five percent of the total vote cast for the two such candidates as determined by the State Board or the electoral board, the defeated candidate may appeal from the determination of the State Board or the electoral board for a recount of the vote as set forth in this article. In an election of electors for the President and Vice President of the United States, the presidential candidate shall represent the vice presidential candidate and slate of electors and be the party to the recount for purposes of this article.

C. When there is between the vote for a question and the vote against a question a difference of not more than 50 votes or one percent of the total vote cast for and against the question as determined by the State Board or the electoral board, whichever is greater, 50 or more voters qualified to vote on the question, by signing and filing their petition, may appeal from the determination of the State Board or the electoral board for a recount of the vote as set forth in this article.

1979, c. 293, § 24.1-249; 1981, c. 570; 1993, c. 641; 2009, c. 386 ; 2019, c. 382 ; 2020, c. 886 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-219 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-219
Alternative for biennial county supervisor elections and staggered terms
Status: in_force

A. The governing body of any county may by ordinance provide that the county board of supervisors be elected biennially for staggered four-year terms.

In lieu of an ordinance by the board of supervisors, the registered voters of the county may file a petition with the circuit court of the county requesting that a referendum be held on the question of whether the county board of supervisors should be elected biennially for staggered four-year terms. The petition shall be signed by registered voters equal in number to at least ten percent of the number registered in the county on the January 1 preceding its filing.

The court pursuant to §§ 24.2-682 and 24.2-684 shall order the election officials on a day fixed in the order to conduct a referendum on the question. The clerk of the court shall publish notice of the referendum in a newspaper having general circulation in the county once a week for four consecutive weeks and shall post a copy of the notice at the door of the courthouse of the county. The question on the ballot shall be:

"Shall the members of the county board of supervisors be elected biennially for staggered four-year terms?

[ ] Yes

[ ] No"

The referendum shall be held and the results certified as provided in § 24.2-684 .

B. If a majority of the voters voting in the referendum voted for biennial election of the members of the board of supervisors for staggered four-year terms, or if the governing body has so provided by ordinance, then the terms of supervisors elected at the next general election for supervisors shall be as follows:

1. If the number of supervisors elected in the county is an even number, half of the successful candidates shall be elected for terms of four years and half of the successful candidates shall be elected for terms of two years; or

2. If the number of supervisors in the county is an odd number, the smallest number of candidates which creates a majority of the elected supervisors shall be elected for terms of four years and all other successful candidates shall be elected for terms of two years.

Unless the number of members who volunteer to take two-year terms exactly equals the number of two-year terms to be assigned, the electoral board of the county shall assign the individual terms of members by lot at its meeting on the day following the election and immediately upon certification of the results. However, the electoral board may assign individual terms of members by election district in a drawing at a meeting held prior to the last day for a person to qualify as a candidate, if the governing body of the county so directs by ordinance or resolution adopted at least thirty days prior to the last day for qualification and members are elected by district. In all elections thereafter all successful candidates shall be elected for terms of four years.

In any county where the chairman of the board is elected from the county at large pursuant to § 15.2-503 or § 15.2-802 , the provisions of this section shall not affect that office. The chairman of the board shall be elected for a term of four years in 1995 and every four years thereafter.

C. If the representation on the board of supervisors among the election districts is reapportioned, or the number of districts is diminished or the boundaries of the districts are changed, elections shall be held in each new district at the general election next preceding the expiration of the term of the office of the member of the board representing the predecessor district of each new district. If the number of districts is increased, the electoral board shall assign a two-year or four-year term for each new district so as to maintain as equal as practicable the number of members to be elected at each biennial election.

Code 1950, § 24-157; 1968, c. 639; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-88; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 265; 1973, c. 30; 1976, c. 616; 1981, c. 12; 1982, c. 650; 1993, c. 641; 2011, c. 455 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-952 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 7 / Section 24.2-952
General provisions
Status: in_force

Any inaugural committee shall maintain all inaugural funds in a separate account and in such detail and form as to allow full compliance with this chapter. A candidate's campaign committee shall not serve as an inaugural fund committee.

1991, cc. 474, 709, § 24.1-254.3; 1993, c. 641, § 24.2-913; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-228 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2 / Article 6 / Section 24.2-228
Interim appointment to local governing body or elected school board; elected mayor
Status: in_force

A. When a vacancy occurs in a local governing body or an elected school board, the remaining members of the body or board, respectively, within 45 days of the office becoming vacant, may appoint a qualified voter of the election district in which the vacancy occurred to fill the vacancy. At least seven days prior to making such interim appointment, the body or board shall hold a public meeting in accordance with § 2.2-3707 at which the body or board shall announce the names of all persons being proposed for the interim appointment and shall make available for inspection each person's resume and any other materials required by the body or board. If a majority of the remaining members of the body or board cannot agree, or do not act, the judges of the circuit court of the county or city may make the appointment.

Notwithstanding any charter provisions to the contrary, the person so appointed shall hold office only until the qualified voters fill the vacancy by special election pursuant to § 24.2-682 and the person so elected has qualified. Any person so appointed shall hold office the same as an elected person and shall exercise all powers of the elected office.

If a majority of the seats on any governing body or elected school board are vacant, the remaining members shall not make interim appointments and the vacancies shall be filled as provided in § 24.2-227 .

B. When a vacancy occurs in the office of a mayor who is elected by the voters, the council shall make an interim appointment to fill the vacancy as provided in subsection A.

C. For the purposes of this article and subsection D of § 22.1-57.3 , local school boards comprised of elected and appointed members shall be deemed elected school boards.

D. The failure of a member of a local governing body or elected school board or mayor to take the oath of office required by § 49-1 before attending the first meeting of the governing body or school board held after his election shall not be deemed to create a vacancy in his office provided that he takes the oath within 30 days after that first meeting.

1975, c. 515, § 24.1-76.1; 1993, c. 641; 1996, c. 873 ; 1999, c. 128 ; 2010, cc. 431 , 624 ; 2011, c. 78 ; 2024, c. 168 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-124 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 6 / Section 24.2-124
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 528 and 533 , cl. 2, effective July 1, 2021.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-213 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-213
Filling vacancy in office of Attorney General
Status: in_force

If a vacancy occurs in the office of Attorney General during the session of the General Assembly, the General Assembly shall fill the vacancy by a majority vote of the total membership. If a vacancy occurs during a recess of the General Assembly, the Governor shall appoint a successor to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term or until the end of thirty days after the commencement of the next session of the General Assembly, whichever happens first. At that next session, the General Assembly shall fill the vacancy by election by a majority vote of the total membership for the unexpired portion of the term.

Code 1950, § 24-153; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-85; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-411.3 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-411.3
Registration of Department of Motor Vehicles customers
Status: in_force

A. Each person coming into an office of the Department of Motor Vehicles or accessing its website in order to (i) apply for, replace, or renew a driver's license or other document issued under Chapter 3 (§ 46.2-300 et seq.) of Title 46.2 except driver privilege cards or permits issued pursuant to § 46.2-328.3 or identification privilege cards issued pursuant to § 46.2-345.3 ; or (ii) change an address on an existing driver's license or other document issued under Chapter 3 (§ 46.2-300 et seq.) of Title 46.2 except driver privilege cards or permits issued pursuant to § 46.2-328.3 or identification privilege cards issued pursuant to § 46.2-345.3 shall be presented with (a) a question asking whether or not the person is a United States citizen and (b) the option to decline to have his information transmitted to the Department of Elections for voter registration purposes. The citizenship question and option to decline shall be accompanied by a statement that intentionally making a materially false statement during the transaction constitutes election fraud and is punishable under Virginia law as a felony.

The Department of Motor Vehicles may not transmit the information of any person who so declines. The Department of Motor Vehicles may not transmit the information of any person who indicates that he is not a United States citizen, nor may such person be asked any additional questions relevant to voter registration but not relevant to the purpose for which the person came to an office of the Department of Motor Vehicles or accessed its website.

B. For each person who does not select the option to decline to have his information transmitted to the Department of Elections for voter registration purposes and who has identified himself as a United States citizen, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall request any information as may be required by the State Board to ensure that the person meets all voter registration eligibility requirements.

C. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall electronically transmit to the Department of Elections, in accordance with the standards set by the State Board, the information collected pursuant to subsection B for any person who (i) has indicated that he is a United States citizen, (ii) has indicated that he is 17 years of age or older, and (iii) at the time of such transaction did not decline to have his information transmitted to the Department of Elections for voter registration purposes.

D. The Department of Elections shall use the information transmitted to determine whether a person already has a registration record in the voter registration system.

1. For any person who does not yet have a registration record in the voter registration system, the Department of Elections shall transmit the information to the appropriate general registrar. The general registrar shall accept or reject the registration of such person in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

2. For any person who already has a registration record in the voter registration system, if the information indicates that the voter has moved within the Commonwealth, the Department of Elections shall transmit the information and the registration record to the appropriate general registrar, who shall treat such transmittal as a request for transfer and process it in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

3. General registrars shall not register any person who does not satisfy all voter eligibility requirements.

2020, cc. 908 , 909 , 1227 , 1246 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 544 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-946.5 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-946.5
Dormant committees
Status: in_force

A. The State Board or the general registrar of any county or city may close the file of any candidate campaign committee or political committee required to file with it provided the committee has not filed a final report and the Board or registrar cannot locate either the candidate or his campaign treasurer, or in the case of any political committee, the Board or registrar cannot locate the treasurer or custodian of the books of the committee. A candidate campaign committee file shall not be closed if the candidate has filed a report with the Board or registrar for any campaign for any office within the prior five years. A political committee file shall not be closed if the committee has filed a report within the prior five years.

B. Once the committee's file has been closed, no more reports will be due and no additional penalties for failure to file will accrue. However, if the whereabouts of the candidate or his campaign treasurer, or in the case of any political committee, the treasurer or custodian of the books of the committee, later becomes known to the Board or registrar, it may reopen the file and send notice to the candidate, or in the case of any political committee, the treasurer or custodian of the books of the committee, requesting that he file the appropriate reports and pay any penalties that were levied before the file was closed by it.

1975, c. 515, § 24.1-262; 1984, c. 480, § 24.1-257.1; 1986, c. 558, § 24.1-257.2; 1988, c. 734; 1990, c. 976; 1991, c. 709; 1993, c. 641, § 24.2-929; 1994, c. 752 ; 1995, c. 785 ; 2000, cc. 233 , 511 , 555 , §§ 24.2-920.1, 24.2-923.1; 2001, cc. 620 , 635 , 648 ; 2004, cc. 457 , 480 ; 2005, cc. 9 , 371 , 676 , 745 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 ; 2015, cc. 644 , 645 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-1001 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 10 / Section 24.2-1001
Willful neglect or corrupt conduct
Status: in_force

A. If any officer of election, member of an electoral board, or other person on whom any duty is enjoined by law relative to any election, is guilty of willful neglect of his duty, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. If any person listed in subsection A is guilty of any corrupt conduct in the execution of his duty, he shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony.

Code 1950, § 24-212; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-266; 1991, c. 710; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-649.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-649.1
Assistance for certain voters outside of the polling place
Status: in_force

A. Any qualified voter who is a person with a disability or who is age 65 or older shall be entitled to vote outside of the polling place in accordance with the provisions of this section. However, during a declared state of emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat, any voter, regardless of age or disability, shall be entitled to vote outside of the polling place in accordance with the provisions of this section. For purposes of this section, a disability shall include a permanent or temporary disability, or an injury.

B. The area designated for voting outside of the polling place shall be within 150 feet of the entrance to the polling place. This area shall be clearly marked, and instructions on how to notify an officer of election of the voter's request to vote outside of the polling place shall be prominently displayed. The Department shall prescribe the form and content of such instructions, but in no case shall the voter be required to enter the polling place to provide such notice.

C. A voter eligible pursuant to subsection A shall be handed a printed ballot by an officer of election. He shall mark the ballot in the officer's presence but in a secret manner and, obscuring his vote, shall return the ballot to the officer. The officer shall immediately return to the polling place and shall deposit a paper ballot in the ballot container in accordance with § 24.2-646 or a machine-readable ballot in the ballot scanner machine in accordance with the instructions of the State Board.

D. Any county or city that has acquired an electronic voting machine that is so constructed as to be easily portable may use the voting machine in lieu of a printed ballot for voting outside of the polling place, so long as: (i) the voting machine remains in the plain view of two officers of election representing two political parties, or in a primary election, two officers of election representing the party conducting the primary, provided that if the use of two officers for this purpose would result in too few officers remaining in the polling place to meet legal requirements, the voting machine shall remain in plain view of one officer who shall be either the chief officer or the assistant chief officer and (ii) the voter casts his ballot in a secret manner unless the voter requests assistance pursuant to § 24.2-649 .

After the voter has completed voting his ballot, the officer or officers shall immediately return the voting machine to its assigned location inside the polling place and shall record (a) the machine number, (b) the time that the machine was removed and the time that it was returned, (c) the number on the machine's public counter before the machine was removed and the number on the same counter when it was returned, and (d) the name or names of the officer or officers who accompanied the machine on the statement of results. The names of the voters who used the machine while it was removed shall also be recorded, provided that secrecy of the ballot is maintained in accordance with guidance from the State Board. If a polling place fails to record the information required in clause (a), (b), (c), or (d), or it is later proven that the information recorded was intentionally falsified, the local electoral board or general registrar shall dismiss at a minimum the chief officer or the assistant chief officer, or both, as appropriate, and shall dismiss any other officer of election who is shown to have caused the failure to record the required information intentionally or by gross negligence or to have intentionally falsified the information. The dismissed officers shall not be allowed thereafter to serve as an officer or other election official anywhere in the Commonwealth.

E. Training on providing assistance for voters outside of the polling place pursuant to this section shall be provided to all officers of election as part of the training required by subsection A of § 24.2-115.2 .

2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 163 ; 2024, cc. 191 , 515 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-419 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-419
Extended time for certain persons to register by mail
Status: in_force

The registration application of the following persons may accompany an application for an absentee ballot and shall be on a form prescribed by the State Board, on a federal postcard application, or on a federal write-in absentee ballot:

1. Any member of a uniformed service, as defined in § 24.2-452 , who is on active duty;

2. Any spouse or dependent residing with a person listed in subdivision 1; and

3. Any person temporarily residing outside the United States.

The registration application from a person listed in subdivisions 1 and 2 may be accepted notwithstanding the provisions of § 24.2-416 if they are eligible to be registered and if, by reason of active duty, they are normally absent from the city or county in which they reside.

Code 1950, § 24-68; 1952, c. 341; 1958, c. 576; 1960, c. 288; 1962, c. 536; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-48; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 205; 1972, c. 620; 1974, c. 428; 1977, c. 490; 1980, c. 639; 1989, c. 138; 1992, c. 433; 1993, c. 641; 1995, c. 296 ; 2002, cc. 785 , 819 ; 2004, c. 410 ; 2012, c. 353 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-670 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-670
Clerk to send for books and ballots if not delivered by officers
Status: in_force

If the officers of election fail to deliver the materials to the clerk of the circuit court, or to the principal office of the general registrar, as required by § 24.2-668 before the time for the electoral board to meet and open the returns, the clerk of the circuit court shall dispatch, to obtain such returns, a law-enforcement officer, who shall be subject to the same penalties and entitled to the same compensation as an officer of election for such service.

Code 1950, § 24-269; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-145; 1993, c. 641; 1995, c. 197 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-948.8 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-948.8
Advisory opinions
Status: in_force

A. Any person subject to the provisions of § 24.2-948.6 may submit a complete written request for an advisory opinion concerning the application of that section to a specific transaction or activity on a form provided by the Department. The Department shall transmit any such complete written request for an advisory opinion to the State Board.

B. The State Board shall, upon receipt, make public any request for an advisory opinion. Before rendering an advisory opinion, the State Board shall accept written comments submitted by any interested party within the 10-day period following the date the request is made public.

C. The State Board shall issue a written advisory opinion within 60 days of receipt of the request for an advisory opinion. However, if an advisory opinion is requested by a candidate or his campaign committee during the 60-day period before any election involving the requesting party, the State Board shall render a written advisory opinion relating to such request no later than 20 days after the State Board receives a complete written request.

D. Any advisory opinion rendered by the State Board under subsection C may be relied upon by (i) any person involved in the specific transaction or activity with respect to which such advisory opinion is rendered and (ii) any person involved in any specific transaction or activity that is indistinguishable in all its material aspects from the transaction or activity with respect to which such advisory opinion is rendered.

E. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person who relies upon any provision or finding of an advisory opinion in accordance with the provisions of subsection D and who acts in good faith in accordance with the provisions and findings of such advisory opinion shall not, as a result of any such act, be subject to any sanction provided under § 24.2-948.7 .

2025, cc. 535 , 537 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-604 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-604
Polling places; prohibited activities; prohibited area; penalties
Status: in_force

A. During the times the polls are open and ballots are being counted, or within one hour of opening or after closing, it is unlawful for any person (i) to loiter or congregate within 40 feet of any entrance of any polling place; (ii) within such distance to give, tender, or exhibit any ballot, ticket, or other campaign or referendum material to any person or to solicit or in any manner attempt to influence any person in casting his vote; (iii) to hinder or delay a qualified voter in entering or leaving a polling place; or (iv) to (a) knowingly carry on or about his person any firearm as defined in § 18.2-308.2:2 and (b) knowingly do so within 100 feet of any building, or part thereof, used as a polling place.

B. Prior to opening the polls, the officers of election shall post, in the area within 40 feet of any entrance to the polling place, sufficient notices that state "Prohibited Area" in two-inch type, except that notice of prohibited firearm possession shall be posted in the area within 100 feet of the entrance. The notices shall also state the provisions of this section in not less than 24-point type. The officers of election shall post the notices within the prohibited area to be visible to voters and the public.

C. It is unlawful for any authorized representative permitted in the polling place pursuant to § 24.2-604.4 , any voter, or any other person in the room to (i) hinder or delay a qualified voter; (ii) give, tender, or exhibit any ballot, ticket, or other campaign or referendum material to any person; (iii) solicit or in any manner attempt to influence any person in casting his vote; (iv) hinder or delay any officer of election; (v) be in a position to see the marked ballot of any other voter; or (vi) otherwise impede the orderly conduct of the election.

D. The provisions of subsections A and C shall not be construed to prohibit a person who approaches or enters the polling place for the purpose of voting from wearing a shirt, hat, or other apparel on which a candidate's name or a political slogan appears or from having a sticker or button attached to his apparel on which a candidate's name or a political slogan appears. This exemption shall not apply to candidates, representatives of candidates, or any other person who approaches or enters the polling place for any purpose other than voting.

E. This section shall not be construed to prohibit a candidate from entering any polling place on the day of the election to vote, or to visit a polling place for no longer than 10 minutes per polling place per election day, provided that he complies with the restrictions stated in subsections A, C, and D.

F. The provisions of clause (iv) of subsection A shall not apply to (i) any law-enforcement officer or any retired law-enforcement officer qualified pursuant to subsection C of § 18.2-308.01 6; (ii) any person occupying his own private property that falls within 100 feet of a polling place; or (iii) an armed security officer, licensed pursuant to Article 4 (§ 9.1-138 et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1, whose employment or performance of his duties occurs within 100 feet of any building, or part thereof, used as a polling place.

G. The officers of election may require any person who is found by a majority of the officers present to be in violation of this section to remain outside of the prohibited area. Any person violating subsection A or C is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, §§ 24-186, 24-188; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-101; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 119; 1973, c. 30; 1974, c. 428; 1975, c. 515; 1984, c. 480; 1993, cc. 413, 641; 1997, c. 328 ; 2000, cc. 215 , 268 ; 2003, c. 1015 ; 2007, c. 672 ; 2009, cc. 396 , 494 , 865 , 870 , 874 ; 2010, cc. 448 , 707 ; 2012, cc. 754 , 826 ; 2015, cc. 133 , 575 ; 2016, cc. 15 , 18 , 491 , 492 ; 2018, c. 700 ; 2020, c. 561 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 459 ; 2025, c. 584 ; 2026, c. 1078 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-660 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-660
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2004, cc. 993 and 1010 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-615 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-615
Separate questions for proposed constitutional amendments, etc.; uniform ballots
Status: in_force

A separate question shall be presented for each of the following: proposed amendments to the Constitution submitted to the qualified voters at one election; proposals submitted to the qualified voters after a constitutional convention pursuant to Article XII, Section 2 of the Constitution; candidates for President, Vice President, and presidential electors; and candidates for the Congress of the United States.

The form of the ballot shall be the same throughout the election district in which the same candidates are running to fill the same offices and throughout the district in which a question is submitted to the voters.

Code 1950, § 24-216; 1952, c. 581; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-112; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 119; 1993, c. 641; 2018, c. 464 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-674 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-674
Determination by lot in case of tie
Status: in_force

If, prior to a recount, two or more persons have an equal number of votes for any county, city, town, or district office, and a higher number than any other person, the electoral board shall proceed publicly to determine by lot which of the candidates shall be declared elected.

If, prior to a recount, any two or more persons have an equal number of votes and a higher number than any other person for member of the General Assembly or of the Congress of the United States, or if any two or more persons have an equal number of votes and a higher number than any other person for elector of President and Vice President of the United States, the State Board of Elections shall proceed publicly to determine by lot which of them shall be declared elected. Reasonable notice shall be given to such candidates of the time when such elections shall be so determined; and if they, or either of them, shall fail to appear in accordance with such notice, the Board shall proceed so as to determine the election in their absence.

Any person who loses the determination by lot may petition for a recount pursuant to Article 1 (§ 24.2-800 et seq.) of Chapter 8 of this title.

Code 1950, §§ 24-277, 24-290; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-149; 1993, c. 641; 2020, c. 500 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-129 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1.1 / Section 24.2-129
Covered practices; actions required prior to enactment or administration
Status: in_force

A. For the purposes of this section:

"Certification of no objection" means a certification issued by the Attorney General that there is no objection to the enactment or administration of a covered practice by a locality because the covered practice neither has the purpose or effect of denying or abridging the right to vote based on race or color or membership in a language minority group nor will result in the retrogression in the position of members of a racial or ethnic group with respect to their effective exercise of the electoral franchise.

"Covered practice" means:

1. Any change to the method of election of members of a governing body or an elected school board by adding seats elected at large or by converting one or more seats elected from a single-member district to one or more at-large seats or seats from a multi-member district;

2. Any change, or series of changes within a 12-month period, to the boundaries of the locality that reduces by more than five percentage points the proportion of the locality's voting age population that is composed of members of a single racial or language minority group, as determined by the most recent American Community Survey data;

3. Any change to the boundaries of election districts or wards in the locality, including changes made pursuant to a decennial redistricting measure;

4. Any change that restricts the ability of any person to provide interpreter services to voters in any language other than English or that limits or impairs the creation or distribution of voting or election materials in any language other than English; or

5. Any change that reduces the number of or consolidates or relocates polling places in the locality, except where permitted by law in the event of an emergency.

"Voting age population" means the resident population of persons who are 18 years of age or older, as determined by the most recent American Community Survey data available at the time any change to a covered practice is published pursuant to subsection B.

B. Prior to enacting or seeking to administer any voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or any standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting, that is a covered practice, the governing body shall cause to be published on the official website for the locality the proposed covered practice and general notice of opportunity for public comment on the proposed covered practice. The governing body shall also publicize the notice through press releases and such other media as will best serve the purpose and subject involved. Such notice shall be made at least 45 days in advance of the last date prescribed in the notice for public comment.

Public comment shall be accepted for a period of no fewer than 30 days. During this period, the governing body shall afford interested persons an opportunity to submit data, views, and arguments in writing by mail, fax, or email, or through an online public comment forum on the official website for the locality if one has been established. The governing body shall conduct at least one public hearing during this period to receive public comment on the proposed covered practice.

The governing body may make changes to the proposed covered practice in response to public comment received. If doing so, the revised covered practice shall be published and public comment shall be accepted in accordance with this subsection, except the public comment period shall be no fewer than 15 days.

C. Following the public comment period or periods prescribed in subsection B, the governing body shall publish the final covered practice, which shall include a plain English description of the practice and the text of an ordinance giving effect to the practice, maps of proposed boundary changes, or other relevant materials, and notice that the covered practice will take effect in 30 days. During this 30-day waiting period, any person who will be subject to or affected by the covered practice, or any organization whose membership includes persons who will be subject to or affected by the covered practice, may challenge in the circuit court of the locality where the covered practice is to be implemented the covered practice as (i) having the purpose or effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of race or color or membership in a language minority group or (ii) resulting in the retrogression in the position of members of a racial or ethnic group with respect to their effective exercise of the electoral franchise. In such action, the court may, in its discretion, allow a private plaintiff a reasonable attorney fee as part of the costs, if such plaintiff is the prevailing party.

D. The governing body of a locality seeking to administer or implement a covered practice, in lieu of following the provisions of subsections B and C, may submit the proposed covered practice to the Office of the Attorney General for issuance of a certification of no objection. Such practice shall not be given effect until the Attorney General has issued such certification. A certification of no objection shall be deemed to have been issued if the Attorney General does not interpose an objection within 60 days of the governing body's submission or if, upon good cause shown and to facilitate an expedited approval within 60 days of the governing body's submission, the Attorney General has affirmatively indicated that no such objection will be made. An affirmative indication by the Attorney General that no objection will be made or the absence of an objection to the covered practice by the Attorney General shall not bar a subsequent action to enjoin enforcement of such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 528 , 533 ; 2026, c. 717 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-245 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2.1 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-245
Election of electors and meeting when Congress prescribes a different day
Status: in_force

If Congress establishes a different day for choosing electors, or appoints a different day for their meeting to give their votes, then the election shall be held and the meeting of the electors shall take place on those days.

2024, c. 801 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-812 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 8 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-812
Proceedings when court decides no valid election has been held
Status: in_force

If the court decides that there has been no valid election of any person, it shall declare the election void and the vacancy shall be filled in conformity with §§ 24.2-226 and 24.2-227 .

Code 1950, § 24-438; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-245; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-415 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-415
Notice of times and locations for registration
Status: in_force

A. The general registrar shall give notice of the date, hours, and locations for registration on the final day of registration at least 10 days before each final day. The notice for the final day shall be posted on the official website of the county or city and published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city, if one is available.

At least three days' advance notice shall be given for other times and locations for voter registration. This notice shall be posted on the official website of the county or city, and published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city, or announced at least twice on a television station serving the county or city, if one is available.

B. Notice shall not be required for (i) the regular office hours for the general registrar's office or any other office normally staffed by one or more registrars, (ii) any office or location offering voter registration services or forms in the normal course of its daily business, or (iii) any other location at which mail applications are offered under Article 3.1 (§ 24.2-416.1 et seq.) of this chapter but no registrar, nor any person authorized to receive voter registration applications pursuant to § 24.2-415.1 , is present.

Code 1950, §§ 24-74 through 24-76, 24-78; 1963, Ex. Sess., c. 2; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-49; 1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 616; 1984, c. 480; 1985, c. 530; 1988, c. 305; 1989, c. 743; 1991, cc. 42, 136; 1993, c. 641; 2003, c. 969 ; 2012, cc. 328 , 486 ; 2023, c. 535 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-712 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 7 / Section 24.2-712
Central absentee voter precincts; counting ballots
Status: in_force

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing body of each county or city shall establish one or more central absentee voter precincts in the courthouse or other public buildings for the purpose of receiving, counting, and recording absentee ballots cast in the county or city. A central absentee voter precinct shall be made by the governing body by ordinance; the ordinance shall state for which elections the precinct shall be used. The decision to abolish any absentee voter precinct shall be made by the governing body by ordinance. Immediate notification of either decision shall be sent to the Department of Elections and the electoral board.

B. Each central absentee voter precinct shall have at least three officers of election as provided for other precincts. The number of officers shall be determined by the electoral board and general registrar.

C. If any voter brings an unmarked ballot to the central absentee voter precinct on the day of the election, he shall be allowed to vote it. If any voter brings an unmarked ballot to the general registrar on or before the day of the election, he shall be allowed to vote it, and his ballot shall be delivered to the absentee voter precinct.

D. Absentee ballots shall be processed as required by § 24.2-709.1 by the officers of election at the central absentee voter precinct prior to the closing of the polls. In the case of machine-readable ballots, the ballot container shall be opened and the absentee ballots shall be inserted in the counting machines prior to the closing of the polls in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Department of Elections, including procedures to preserve ballot secrecy, but no ballot count totals by the machines shall be transmitted outside of the central absentee voter precinct until after the closing of the polls.

In the case of absentee ballots that are counted by hand, the officers of election shall begin tallying such ballots at any time after noon on the day of the election in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Department of Elections, including procedures to preserve ballot secrecy. No counts of such tallies shall be determined or transmitted outside of the central absentee voter precinct until after the closing of the polls.

The use of cellular telephones or other communication devices shall be prohibited in the central absentee voter precinct during such processing and tallying and until the closing of the polls. Any person present in the central absentee voter precinct shall sign a statement under oath that he will not transmit any counts prior to the closing of the polls. Any person who transmits any counts in violation of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

E. As soon as the polls are closed in the county or city, the officers of election at the central absentee voter precinct shall proceed promptly to ascertain and record the total vote given by all absentee ballots and report the results in the manner provided for counting and reporting ballots generally in Article 4 (§ 24.2-643 et seq.) of Chapter 6.

F. The electoral board or general registrar may provide that the officers of election for a central absentee voter precinct may be assigned to work all or a portion of the time that the precinct is open on election day subject to the following conditions:

1. The chief officer and the assistant chief officer, appointed pursuant to § 24.2-115 to represent the two political parties, are on duty at all times; and

2. No officer, political party representative, or other candidate representative shall leave the precinct after any ballots have been counted until the polls are closed and the count for the precinct is completed and reported.

G. The general registrar may provide that the central absentee voter precinct will open after 6:00 a.m. on the day of the election provided that the office of the general registrar will be open for the receipt of absentee ballots until the central absentee voter precinct is open and that the officers of election for the central absentee voter precinct obtain the absentee ballots returned to the general registrar's office for the purpose of counting the absentee ballots at the central absentee voter precinct and provided further that the central absentee voter precinct is the same location as the office of the general registrar.

H. It is unlawful for any person (i) to knowingly carry on or about his person any firearm as defined in § 18.2-308.2:2 and (ii) to knowingly do so within 100 feet of any building, or part thereof, used as a central absentee precinct, unless such person is (a) a law-enforcement officer or a retired law-enforcement officer qualified pursuant to subsection C of § 18.2-308.01 6; (b) occupying his own private property that falls within 100 feet of the building used as a meeting place; or (c) an armed security officer, licensed pursuant to Article 4 (§ 9.1-138 et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1, whose employment or performance of his duties occurs within 100 feet of any central absentee voter precinct.

1974, c. 428, § 24.1-233.1; 1978, c. 778; 1991, c. 3; 1993, c. 641; 1994, cc. 287 , 742 ; 1998, cc. 549 , 572 ; 2003, c. 1015 ; 2006, c. 297 ; 2008, c. 423 ; 2013, c. 501 ; 2014, cc. 540 , 552 , 576 ; 2015, cc. 313 , 644 , 645 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 ; 2017, c. 711 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 471 , 522 ; 2026, c. 1078 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-709.2 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 7 / Section 24.2-709.2
(Effective September 1, 2026) Processing absentee ballots; duplication of damaged or defective ballots
Status: in_force

If, in the processing and counting of absentee ballots, any machine-readable ballot is damaged or defective such that it cannot properly be counted by the electronic voting systems, a true duplicate copy shall be made of the damaged or defective ballot by a team of election officials representing both parties. The duplicate ballot shall be substituted for the damaged ballot. Every duplicate ballot shall be clearly labeled as such and shall bear an identifier that shall be recorded on the damaged ballot.

2026, c. 718 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-530 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-530
Who may vote in primary
Status: in_force

All persons qualified to vote, pursuant to §§ 24.2-400 through 24.2-403 , may vote at the primary. No person shall vote for the candidates of more than one party.

Code 1950, § 24-367; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-182; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 205; 1976, c. 616; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-1017 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 10 / Section 24.2-1017
Penalties when not specifically provided elsewhere
Status: in_force

Any conduct made unlawful by this title, for which no punishment has been otherwise provided, shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Code 1950, § 24-455; 1970, c. 462, § 280; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-709 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 7 / Section 24.2-709
(Effective until January 1, 2027) Ballot to be returned in manner prescribed by law
Status: in_force

A. Any ballot returned to the office of the general registrar or to a drop-off location in any manner except as prescribed by law shall be void. Absentee ballots shall be returned to the general registrar or to a drop-off location before the closing of the polls. Any voter who is in line to return an absentee ballot at a drop-off location by 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election shall be permitted to deposit his absentee ballot. The registrar receiving the ballot shall (i) seal the ballot in an envelope with the statement or declaration of the voter, or both, attached to the outside and (ii) mark on each envelope the date, time, and manner of delivery. No returned absentee ballot shall be deemed void because (a) the inner envelope containing the voted ballot is imperfectly sealed so long as the outside envelope containing the ballot envelope is sealed or (b) it is not returned sealed in the outside envelope so long as it is returned sealed in the inner envelope.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, any absentee ballot (i) returned to the general registrar after the closing of the polls on election day but before noon on the third day after the election and (ii) postmarked on or before the date of the election shall be counted pursuant to the procedures set forth in this chapter if the voter is found entitled to vote. For purposes of this subsection, a postmark shall include any other official indicia of confirmation of mailing by the United States Postal Service or other postal or delivery service.

C. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, any absentee ballot (i) received after the close of the polls on any election day, (ii) received before 5:00 p.m. on the second business day before the State Board meets to ascertain the results of the election pursuant to this title, (iii) requested on or before but not sent by the deadline for making absentee ballots available under § 24.2-612 , and (iv) cast by a covered voter, as defined in § 24.2-452 , shall be counted pursuant to the procedures set forth in this chapter if the voter is found entitled to vote. The electoral board shall prepare an amended certified abstract, which shall include the results of such ballots, and shall deliver such abstract to the State Board by the business day prior to its meeting pursuant to this title, and shall deliver a copy of such abstract to the general registrar to be available for inspection when his office is open for business.

D. Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (i) of subsection B of § 24.2-427 , an absentee ballot returned by a voter in compliance with § 24.2-707 and this section who dies prior to the counting of absentee ballots on election day shall be counted pursuant to the procedures set forth in this chapter if the voter is found to have been entitled to vote at the time that he returned the ballot.

Code 1950, § 24-328; 1956, c. 525; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-230; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 119; 1975, c. 515; 1993, c. 641; 2002, cc. 785 , 819 ; 2006, c. 297 ; 2010, cc. 449 , 645 ; 2011, c. 654 ; 2012, c. 353 ; 2014, c. 580 ; 2015, cc. 644 , 645 ; 2019, cc. 668 , 669 ; 2020, cc. 288 , 933 , 1149 , 1151 , 1201 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 471 , 522 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-124.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 6 / Section 24.2-124.1
Acceptance of certain gifts and funding prohibited
Status: in_force

The State Board, the Department, each local electoral board, and all offices of the general registrar shall not solicit, accept, use, or dispose of any money, grants, property, or services given by a private individual or nongovernmental entity for the purpose of funding voter education and outreach programs, voter registration programs, or any other expense incurred in the conduct of elections.

This section shall not be construed to prohibit (i) the operation of a polling place or voter satellite office in a facility furnished by a private individual or nongovernmental entity that otherwise meets the requirements for polling places provided in §§ 24.2-310 and 24.2-310.1 or voter satellite offices provided in § 24.2-701.2 or (ii) acceptance of a federal government grant funded in whole or part by donations from private individuals or nongovernmental entities.

2022, cc. 697 , 698 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-642 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-642
Inoperative equipment
Status: in_force

A. When any voting or counting machine becomes inoperative in whole or in part while the polls are open, the officers of election shall immediately notify the electoral board or general registrar. If possible, the electoral board or general registrar shall dispatch a qualified technician to the polling place to repair the inoperative machine. All repairs shall be made in the presence of two officers of election representing the two political parties or, in the case of a primary election for only one party, two officers representing that party. If the machine cannot be repaired on site, the general registrar shall, if possible, substitute a machine in good order for the inoperative machine and at the close of the polls the record of both machines shall be taken and the votes shown on their counters shall be added together in ascertaining the results of the election.

No voting or counting machines, including inoperative machines, shall be removed from the plain view of the officers of election or from the polling place at any time during the election and through the determination of the vote as provided in § 24.2-657 except as explicitly provided pursuant to the provisions of this title.

No voting or counting machine that has become inoperative and contains votes may be removed from the polling place while the polls are open and votes are being ascertained. If the officers of election are unable to ascertain the results from the inoperative machine after the polls close in order to add its results to the results from the other machines in that precinct, the officers of election shall lock and seal the machine without removing the memory card, cartridge, or data storage medium and deliver the machine to either the clerk of court or registrar's office as provided for in § 24.2-659 . On the day following the election, the electoral board shall meet and ascertain the results from the inoperative machine in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the machine's manufacturer and add the results to the results for the precinct to which the machine was assigned.

Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the removal of an inoperative machine from a precinct prior to the opening of the polls or the first vote being cast on that machine. Any machine so removed shall be placed in the custody of an authorized custodian, technician, general registrar, or electoral board representative. If the inoperative machine can be repaired, it shall be retested and resealed pursuant to § 24.2-634 and may be returned to the precinct by an authorized custodian, technician, general registrar, or electoral board representative. The officers of election shall then open the machine pursuant to § 24.2-639 .

B. In any precinct that uses a ballot that can be read without the use of the ballot scanner machine, if the ballot scanner machine becomes inoperative and there is no other available scanner, the uncounted ballots shall be placed in a ballot container or compartment that is used exclusively for uncounted ballots. If an operative scanner is available in the polling place after the polls have closed, such uncounted ballots shall be removed from the container and fed into the scanner, one at a time, by an officer of election in the presence of all persons who may be lawfully present at that time but before the votes are determined pursuant to § 24.2-657 . If such a scanner is not available, the ballots may be counted manually or as directed by the electoral board.

C. An officer of election may have copies of the official paper ballot reprinted or reproduced by photographic, electronic, or mechanical processes for use at the election if (i) the inoperative machine cannot be repaired in time to continue using it at the election, (ii) a substitute machine is needed to conduct the election but is not available for use, (iii) the supply of official printed ballots that can be cast without use of the inoperative machine is not adequate, and (iv) the local electoral board approves the reprinting or reproducing of the official paper ballot. The voted ballot copies may be received by the officers of election and placed in the ballot container and counted with the votes registered on the voting or counting machines, and the result shall be declared the same as though no machine has been inoperative. The voted ballot copies shall be deemed official ballots for the purpose of § 24.2-665 and preserved and returned with the statement of results and with a certificate setting forth how and why the same were voted. The officer of election who had the ballot copies made shall provide a written statement of the number of copies made, signed by him and subject to felony penalties for making false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016 , to be preserved with the unused ballot copies.

Code 1950, § 24-311; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-221; 1981, c. 570; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 2000, c. 282 ; 2003, c. 1015 ; 2004, cc. 978 , 993 , 1006 , 1010 ; 2014, cc. 540 , 576 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-952.6 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 7 / Section 24.2-952.6
With whom inaugural committees file reports; electronic filing requirement
Status: in_force

A. Inaugural committees required to file reports by this chapter shall file all campaign finance reports with the State Board.

B. An inaugural committee that is required by this chapter to file reports with the State Board, and that accepts contributions or makes expenditures in excess of $10,000 in any calendar year, or that accepted contributions or made expenditures in excess of $10,000 in the previous calendar year, shall file its reports with the State Board by computer or electronic means in accordance with the standards approved by the State Board until such time as the committee files a final report.

C. Any inaugural committee that has been filing electronically, but does not anticipate accepting contributions or making expenditures in excess of $10,000 in the upcoming calendar year, may sign a waiver, on a form prescribed by the State Board, to exempt the committee from the electronic filing requirement for the calendar year. Such waiver form shall be submitted and received no later than the date the first report is due covering activity for that calendar year.

1984, c. 480, § 24.1-923; 1991, cc. 9, 474, 709, § 24.1-254.3; 1993, cc. 639, 641, §§ 24.2-913, 24.2-923; 1995, c. 785 ; 1996, c. 687 , § 24.2-914.1; 1997, cc. 364 , 392 ; 1998, c. 416 ; 1999, c. 864 ; 2000, cc. 511 , 555 ; 2002, cc. 156 , 237 ; 2003, cc. 242 , 256 ; 2004, c. 26 ; 2005, c. 9 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-410.3 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2.1 / Section 24.2-410.3
(Effective July 1, 2027) Exchange of registered voter lists with other states
Status: in_force

A. The Department of Elections shall (i) request voter registration information and lists of persons voting at primaries and elections, if available, from the states bordering the Commonwealth and (ii) utilize data regarding voter registration and lists of persons voting at primaries and elections received through list comparisons with other states in order to identify duplicate registrations, voters who no longer reside in the Commonwealth, and other persons who are no longer entitled to be registered as part of its duty to maintain the overall accuracy of the voter registration system.

B. The Department shall compare the data received pursuant to subsection A with the state voter registration list to identify record matches in accordance with § 24.2-407.3. The Department shall include in its report to the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections, required by § 24.2-407.3, the progress of activities conducted under this section, including the number of duplicate registrations found to exist and the procedures that the Department and general registrars are following to eliminate duplicate registrations from the Virginia registered voter lists.

C. The Department shall not utilize any data received pursuant to subsection A for list maintenance purposes when such data file does not include a unique identifier for each individual whose information is contained in the data file. For purposes of this subsection, a "unique identifier" means an individual's full social security number or Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles customer identifier number, or any data field or combination of data fields that can be reliably linked to a single individual.

2026, c. 1120 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-503 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-503
Deadlines for filing required statements; extensions
Status: in_force

The written statements of qualification and economic interests shall be filed by (i) primary candidates not later than the filing deadline for the primary, (ii) all other candidates for city and town offices to be filled at a May general election by 7:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday in March, (iii) candidates in special elections by the time of qualifying as a candidate, and (iv) all other candidates by 7:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday in June.

A statement shall be deemed to be timely filed if it is mailed postage prepaid to the appropriate office by registered or certified mail and if the official receipt therefor, which shall be exhibited on demand, shows mailing within the prescribed time limits.

The State Board may grant an extension of any deadline for filing either or both written statements and shall notify all candidates who have not filed their statements of the extension. Any extension shall be granted for a fixed period of time of ten days from the date of the mailing of the notice of the extension.

Code 1950, § 24-132; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-167; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 226; 1973, c. 30; 1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 616; 1977, c. 490; 1978, c. 778; 1980, c. 639; 1982, c. 650; 1984, c. 480; 1987, Sp. Sess., c. 1; 1988, c. 469; 1990, cc. 476, 865; 1991, c. 137; 1993, c. 641; 2000, c. 1045 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 239 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-612.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-612.1
Ballots; death, withdrawal, or disqualification of candidates
Status: in_force

In the case of the death, withdrawal, or disqualification of any candidate, other than a party nominee, who has qualified to have his name printed on the ballot for any election other than a presidential or primary election, the Department of Elections shall take into account the time available before the election and the status of the ballots for the election and shall have authority to direct the electoral boards on how to proceed to print the ballot without the candidate's name, correct the ballot to delete the candidate's name, or provide notice to voters of the death, withdrawal, or disqualification of the candidate. If ballots are not corrected to delete the candidate's name, the general registrar shall provide a list of candidates who have withdrawn to be posted in each polling place and to be available to the public. If election information is posted on the official website for the county or city, notice of the candidate's withdrawal shall also be posted on that website.

The Department shall have like authority in the case of the death, withdrawal, or disqualification of a party nominee subject to the provisions of Article 5 (§ 24.2-539 et seq.) of Chapter 5.

1995, c. 329 ; 2017, c. 346 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-304.5 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 3 / Article 2.1 / Section 24.2-304.5
Notification of certain civil actions
Status: in_force

Any county, city, or town made a defendant in any civil action challenging the legality of its election district boundaries shall immediately notify the Attorney General of the pending civil action for review pursuant to § 2.2-508 .

1995, c. 249 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-403.1 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-403.1
Preregistration of persons 16 years of age or older
Status: in_force

Any person who is otherwise qualified and is 16 years of age or older, but who will not be 18 years of age on or before the day of the next general election, may preregister to vote. This preregistration shall not entitle a person 16 years of age or older to vote in any election except as provided in § 24.2-403 .

2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 217 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-515 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-515
Presidential election year primaries
Status: in_force

Primaries for the nomination of candidates for offices to be voted on at the general election date in November shall be held on the third Tuesday in June next preceding such election, except that beginning with the year 2012 and in presidential election years thereafter, primaries to choose among presidential candidates may be held as provided in Article 7 (§ 24.2-544 et seq.). Primaries for the nomination of candidates for offices to be voted on at the general election date in May shall be held on the first Tuesday in March next preceding such election.

Code 1950, § 24-349; 1952, c. 4; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-174; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 119; 1975, c. 515; 1993, c. 641; 1999, c. 972 ; 2003, cc. 815 , 823 ; 2011, cc. 570 , 584 ; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 239 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-464 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4.1 / Section 24.2-464
Confirmation of receipt of application and voted ballot
Status: in_force

The Commissioner, in coordination with local election officials, shall implement a free-access system by which a covered voter may determine whether:

1. The voter's federal postcard application or other registration or military-overseas ballot application has been received and accepted; and

2. The voter's military-overseas ballot has been received and the current status of the ballot.

2012, c. 353 ; 2013, c. 542 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-428 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-428
(Repealed effective July 1, 2027) Regular periodic review of registration records; notice to voters identified as having moved; placement on inactive status for failure to respond to notice
Status: repealed

A. The Department of Elections shall establish a voter list maintenance program using the change of address information supplied by the United States Postal Service through its licensees or by other reliable sources to identify voters whose addresses may have changed. Any such program shall be regular and periodic and shall be conducted at least annually. The program shall be completed not later than ninety days prior to the date of a federal primary or federal general election.

B. If it appears from information provided by the Postal Service or by other reliable sources that a voter has moved to a different address in the same county or city in which the voter is currently registered, the Department shall provide to the general registrar the information necessary to change the registration records to show the new address, and the Department or the general registrar shall send to the new address of the voter by forwardable mail, a notice of the change, along with a postage prepaid, pre-addressed return card by which the voter may verify or correct the address information.

C. If it appears from information provided by the Postal Service or by other reliable sources that a voter has moved to a different address not in the same county or city, the Department or the general registrar shall send to the last known address of the voter by forwardable mail, a notice on a form prescribed by the Department, along with a postage prepaid and pre-addressed return card on which the voter may state his current address.

D. The registered voter shall complete and sign the return card subject to felony penalties for making false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016 .

E. The general registrar shall correct his registration records from the information obtained from the return card. If the information indicates that the registered voter has moved to another general registrar's jurisdiction within the Commonwealth, the general registrar shall transfer the registration record, along with the return card, to the appropriate general registrar who shall treat the request for a change of address as a request for transfer and shall send a voter registration card as confirmation of the transfer to the voter pursuant to § 24.2-424 . If the general registrar does not receive the return card provided for in subsection C of this section within thirty days after it is sent to the voter, the registered voter's name shall be placed on inactive status. A registered voter's failure to receive the notice shall not affect the validity of the inactivation.

Code 1950, §§ 24-96, 24-97, 24-107; 1954, c. 690; 1962, c. 536; 1964, c. 538; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-59, 24.1-60; 1972, c. 620; 1973, c. 30; 1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 616; 1982, c. 650; 1986, c. 241; 1990, c. 313; 1991, c. 10; 1993, c. 641; 1996, cc. 72 , 73 ; 2000, c. 857 ; 2015, c. 740 ; 2026, c. 1120 , cl. 2.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-533 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-533
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2010, c. 812 , cl. 3.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-685 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-685
Special elections; request for abolition of constitutional offices
Status: in_force

A. The provisions of this section shall be applicable to the holding of any referendum, elsewhere authorized by law, on the abolition of any constitutional office conducted prior to a request for a special act of the General Assembly to abolish such office.

B. Notwithstanding any other provision of general law or any special act, no referendum subject to the provisions of this section shall be held unless:

1. Petitions are filed with the circuit court of the county or city requesting that a referendum be held to authorize a request for a special act on the abolition of the named office;

2. The petitions are signed by qualified voters of the county or city equal in number to 20 percent of the total vote cast in the county or city for presidential electors in the last preceding presidential election; and

3. The petitions are filed with the court within 90 days of the first signature on the petitions, and the petitions show the date each signature was affixed.

C. Upon filing of a valid petition, the court shall order the election and state the question to be placed on the ballot in its order. The court shall order the referendum to be held at the next general election for members of the governing body of the county or city held at least 81 days after the date of the order.

D. After a referendum is conducted pursuant to this section with respect to the abolition of a particular office, no other referendum with respect to the abolition of the same office shall be held in the same county or city pursuant to this section for a period of eight years.

E. No special act authorizing the abolition of any such office shall be considered by the General Assembly without court certification that a referendum has been conducted pursuant to this section and that a majority of the qualified voters voting thereon have approved the request for a special act.

1985, c. 586, § 24.1-165.1; 1993, c. 641; 2011, c. 599 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-407.3 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2.1 / Section 24.2-407.3
(Effective July 1, 2027) Duty of Department of Elections; list maintenance activities; annual review; report
Status: in_force

A. Upon receipt of any list, record, or other information provided pursuant to this article, the Department shall compare the contents of such list or record to the list of all registered voters maintained on the voter registration system to identify registration records containing information that matches information on the list or record received. A potential match of a registration record with information on a list or record received shall not be grounds for cancellation of the registration record if there is not, at a minimum, a match of the full Social Security number or a match of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles customer identifier number.

B. When comparing a registration record with information on a list or record received pursuant to this article, the Department shall determine the confidence score for any potential match in accordance with regulations promulgated by the State Board for such purpose. In promulgating regulations for establishing a confidence score for potential matches, the State Board shall account for differences in data sources and shall establish a threshold score that shall be met to begin the cancellation process. A voter's registration record with a confidence score that meets or exceeds the threshold score set by regulation shall be transmitted to the appropriate general registrar and the general registrars shall use such information to carry out their duties in accordance with § 24.2-427 .

C. The Department shall conduct an annual review of all sources of data utilized pursuant to this article for list maintenance activities in the preceding 12-month period for the purpose of determining the validity, completeness, accuracy, and reliability of the data received from each source and any delays to processing data from any source because the data or the source was determined to be inaccurate, unreliable, or otherwise compromising the accuracy and integrity of the voter records maintained in the Virginia voter registration system. The results of such review shall be included in the Department's report required pursuant to subsection D.

D. The Department shall report annually by August 1 for the preceding 12 months ending June 30 to the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections on each of its activities undertaken to maintain the Virginia voter registration system and the results of those activities. The Department's report shall be governed by the provisions of § 2.2-608 and shall encompass activities undertaken pursuant to this article and Article 5 (§ 24.2-426.1 et seq.). This report shall contain the methodology used in gathering and analyzing the data. The Commissioner of Elections shall certify that the data included in the report is accurate and reliable.

E. The State Board shall promulgate regulations governing (i) the criteria for evaluating data sources, including the methodology to be utilized to analyze and determine the accuracy and reliability of a data source, and (ii) any requirements for delaying the processing of data from any source that is determined to be inaccurate, unreliable, or otherwise compromises the accuracy and integrity of the voter records maintained in the Virginia voter registration system.

2026, c. 1120 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-407.2 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-407.2
(Effective July 1, 2027) Security of the Virginia voter registration system
Status: in_force

A. The State Board shall promulgate regulations and standards necessary to ensure the security and integrity of the Virginia voter registration system and the supporting technologies utilized by the counties and cities to maintain and record registrant information. The State Board shall, in consultation with representatives of local government information technology professionals and general registrars, update the security standards at least annually. Such review shall be completed by November 30 each year.

B. The electoral board of each county and city that utilizes supporting technologies to maintain and record registrant information shall develop and annually update written plans and procedures to ensure the security and integrity of those supporting technologies. All plans and procedures shall be in compliance with the security standards established by the State Board pursuant to subsection A. Each electoral board shall report annually by March 1 to the Department of Elections on its security plans and procedures. The general registrar and the Department of Elections shall provide assistance to the electoral board, upon request by the electoral board.

C. In accordance with the process prescribed by the State Board, the Department of Elections may limit access to the Virginia voter registration system by any county or city that has failed to comply with the provisions of subsection B or the security standards established by the State Board pursuant to subsection A. Such access shall be limited as necessary in order to address and resolve any security risks or to enforce compliance with the provisions of subsection B or the security standards established by the State Board. Prior to limiting access to the Virginia voter registration system by any county or city, the Department of Elections shall provide notice to the county or city of the failure to comply with the provisions of subsection A or B and the county or city shall have seven days to correct any deficiencies. The Department of Elections may provide technical assistance to any county or city upon request by the county or city.

D. Records of the State Board or of a local electoral board, to the extent such records describe protocols for maintaining the security of the Virginia voter registration system and the supporting technologies utilized to maintain and record registrant information, the release of which would compromise the security of the Virginia voter registration system, shall be confidential and excluded from inspection and copying under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.).

E. The State Board or a local electoral board may hold a closed meeting pursuant to the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.) for the purpose of discussing protocols for maintaining the security of the Virginia voter registration system and the supporting technologies utilized to maintain and record registrant information, where discussion of such matters in open meeting would compromise the security of the Virginia voter registration system. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize a closed meeting to discuss any breach of security of the Virginia voter registration system.

F. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the release of information concerning any breach of security of the Virginia voter registration system.

2026, c. 1120 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-420 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-420
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 1995, c. 296 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-434 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 4 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-434
Presumption if petition not brought within six months of registration
Status: in_force

Unless the petition provided for in § 24.2-431 is filed within six months after the registration of any person, it shall be conclusively presumed in all proceedings where the right of such person to registration arises, by election officers and by judicial tribunals, or in election contests of any kind and character, that such person has complied with all the procedural requirements of the law in making an application for registration.

Code 1950, § 24-105; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-66; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-103 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 1 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-103
Powers and duties in general; report
Status: in_force

A. The State Board, through the Department of Elections, shall supervise and coordinate the work of the county and city electoral boards and of the registrars to obtain uniformity in their practices and proceedings and legality and purity in all elections. Its supervision shall ensure that major risks to election integrity are (i) identified and assessed and (ii) addressed as necessary to promote election uniformity, legality, and purity. It shall make rules and regulations and issue instructions and provide information consistent with the election laws to the electoral boards and registrars to promote the proper administration of election laws. Electoral boards and registrars shall provide information requested by the State Board and shall follow (a) the elections laws and (b) the rules and regulations of the State Board insofar as they do not conflict with Virginia or federal law. The State Board shall post on the Internet within three business days any rules or regulations made by the State Board. Upon request and at a reasonable charge not to exceed the actual cost incurred, the State Board shall provide to any requesting political party or candidate, within three days of the receipt of the request, copies of any instructions or information provided by the State Board to the local electoral boards and registrars.

B. The State Board, through the Department of Elections, shall ensure that the members of the electoral boards are properly trained to carry out their duties by offering training annually, or more often, as it deems appropriate, and without charging any fees to the electoral boards for the training.

C. The State Board, through the Department of Elections, shall conduct a certification program for the general registrars and shall require each general registrar to receive certification through such program from the Department within 12 months of his initial appointment or any subsequent reappointment. The State Board may grant a waiver requested by a local electoral board to extend, on a case-by-case basis, this deadline by up to three months. The State Board shall develop a training curriculum for the certification program and standards for completing the program and maintaining certification, including required hours of annual training. No fees shall be charged to a general registrar for any required training as part of the certification program. The State Board shall review the certification program every four years, or more often as it deems appropriate.

D. The State Board shall set the training standards for the officers of election and shall develop standardized training programs for the officers of election to be conducted by the local electoral boards and the general registrars. Training of the officers of election shall be conducted and certified as provided by § 24.2-115.2 . The State Board shall provide standardized training materials for such training and shall also offer on the Department of Elections website a training course for officers of election. The content of the online training course shall be consistent with the standardized training programs developed pursuant to this section. The State Board shall review the standardized training materials and the content of the online training course every two years in the year immediately following a general election for federal office.

E. The State Board may institute proceedings pursuant to § 24.2-234.1 for the removal of any member of an electoral board or general registrar by a recorded majority vote of the Board after a public hearing on related matters.

The State Board shall institute proceedings against any member of an electoral board who neglects or refuses to carry out any clear ministerial duty of the office in accordance with law.

The State Board may remove any member of an electoral board or general register by a recorded two-thirds majority vote of all its members after a public hearing on related matters. Such decision shall be final and shall be subject to judicial review only in accordance with the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

The State Board shall prescribe standards and procedures for the conduct of public hearings conducted pursuant to this subsection.

An electoral board member or general registrar may be removed or have removal proceedings instituted against him pursuant to this subsection for (i) neglect of a clear, ministerial duty of the office, misuse of the office, or incompetence in the performance of the duties of the office where such neglect, misuse, or incompetence has a material adverse effect upon the conduct of the office or (ii) an unambiguous indication of a future refusal or failure to carry out the duties of the office where such refusal or failure would likely have a material adverse effect upon the conduct of the office.

F. The State Board may petition a circuit court or the Supreme Court, whichever is appropriate, for a writ of mandamus or prohibition, or other available legal relief, for the purpose of ensuring that elections are conducted as provided by law.

G. The Department of Elections shall supervise its own staff to assure that no member of its staff shall serve (i) as the chairman of a political party or other officer of a state-, local-, or district-level political party committee or (ii) as a paid or volunteer worker in the campaign of a candidate for nomination or election to an office filled by election in whole or in part by the qualified voters of the Commonwealth.

H. The Department of Elections shall employ a Director of Operations who shall be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations at the Department of Elections and ensuring (i) fulfillment of the Department's mission and responsibilities; (ii) compliance with state and federal election laws and regulations; and (iii) compliance with the Department's business, administrative, and financial policies. This position shall be a full-time classified position subject to the Virginia Personnel Act (§ 2.2-2900 et seq.).

I. The State Board shall adopt a seal for its use and bylaws for its own proceedings.

J. The State Board shall submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the activities of the State Board and the Department of Elections in the previous year. Such report shall be governed by the provisions of § 2.2-608 .

Code 1950, §§ 24-24, 24-25, 24-345.10, 24-345.11; 1952, c. 509; 1956, c. 392; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-18, 24.1-19; 1973, c. 30; 1975, c. 515; 1977, c. 576; 1980, c. 728; 1984, c. 444; 1993, c. 641; 1999, c. 861 ; 2004, cc. 27 , 391 ; 2006, c. 760 ; 2009, c. 407 ; 2010, cc. 347 , 769 ; 2013, cc. 525 , 542 ; 2016, cc. 752 , 766 ; 2020, cc. 291 , 353 , 619 , 1087 , 1148 ; 2023, cc. 256 , 257 ; 2026, cc. 60 , 1032 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-234 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2 / Article 7 / Section 24.2-234
Removal of officer appointed for a term certain
Status: in_force

Any officer appointed to an office for a term established by law may be removed from office, under the provisions of § 24.2-233 , upon a petition filed with the circuit court in whose jurisdiction the officer resides signed by the person or a majority of the members of the authority who appointed him, if the appointing person or authority is not given the unqualified power of removal.

1975, cc. 515, 595, § 24.1-79.6; 1993, c. 641; 2004, cc. 27 , 391 ; 2023, cc. 256 , 257 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-231 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2 / Article 7 / Section 24.2-231
Forfeiture of office by person sentenced for commission of certain crimes
Status: in_force

Any person holding any public office of honor, profit, or trust in this Commonwealth who is convicted of a felony or any offense for which registration is required as defined in § 9.1-902 and for whom all rights of appeal under Virginia law have expired, shall by such final conviction forfeit his office or post and thereafter may not act therein under his previous election or appointment. A pardon which may be afterwards granted him shall not void the forfeiture.

Code 1950, § 2.1-36; 1966, c. 677; 1975, cc. 515, 595, § 24.1-79.3; 1993, c. 641; 2007, c. 175 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-208 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 2 / Article 2 / Section 24.2-208
Election and term of members of House of Representatives
Status: in_force

The qualified voters of each congressional district shall elect one member of the United States House of Representatives at the general election in November 1994, and every second year thereafter, for the term of two years to begin on the January 3 following his election.

Code 1950, § 24-5; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-6; 1993, c. 641.
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-941 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.2 / Section 24.2-941
Repealed
Status: repealed

Repealed by Acts 2006, cc. 787 and 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-520 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 5 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-520
Declaration of candidacy required
Status: in_force

A candidate for nomination by primary for any office shall be required to file a written declaration of candidacy on a form prescribed by the State Board. The declaration shall include the name of the political party of which the candidate is a member, a designation of the office for which he is a candidate, and a statement that, if his name appears on the primary ballot and he is not nominated, his name is not to be printed on the ballots for that office in the succeeding general election. The declaration shall be acknowledged before some officer who has the authority to take acknowledgments to deeds, or attested by two witnesses who are qualified voters of the election district.

Code 1950, §§ 24-370 through 24-372; 1960, c. 427; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-184; 1978, cc. 239, 778; 1983, c. 461; 1993, c. 641; 2024, cc. 169 , 264 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-951.7 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 6 / Section 24.2-951.7
Large dollar contribution reporting requirement for referendum committees
Status: in_force

In addition to the reports required by §§ 24.2-951.4 , 24.2-951.5 and 24.2-951.6 , referendum committees shall report any single contribution or loan of $10,000 or more received at any time during the calendar year within three business days of receipt of the contribution or loan.

1. The report shall be filed on a "large dollar contribution report" form prescribed by the State Board and shall be filed in writing or electronically in the same manner as the person or committee files its quarterly disclosure reports.

2. Any contribution or loan reported pursuant to this section shall also be reported on the next subsequent report required under this article following receipt of the contribution or loan.

3. For the purposes of this section, referendum committees shall report as one contribution multiple contributions from a single source that have been subdivided into smaller amounts or given through different bank accounts for the purpose of evading the $10,000 threshold.

4. A referendum committee that receives contributions from affiliated organizations shall not be deemed to be receiving contributions from a single source.

2003, c. 257 , § 24.2-910.1; 2005, c. 745 ; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-948.5 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 3 / Section 24.2-948.5
Reviews of campaign finance reports and records
Status: in_force

A. The Department shall have the authority to review the reports and records of the campaign committees. The purposes of the review shall be to (i) reconcile the balance in the campaign depository with the amounts reported in the candidate's reports of receipts and expenditures and (ii) review the reports for mathematical accuracy and facial completeness including the reporting of specific information required by law. In the performance of its review, the Department is authorized to request the production of monthly bank statements for, and copies of checks issued on, campaign depositories and itemized bills, invoices, and receipts for any expenditure of campaign funds in an amount greater than $500.

B. The Department shall review the reports and records of the campaign committees within 180 days following the general election. The Department shall review the reports and records of all of the campaign committees for candidates, including losing primary candidates, for statewide office; 10 percent of the campaign committees for candidates, including losing primary candidates, for the Senate and House of Delegates; and one percent of candidates, including losing primary candidates, for all other offices in any year in which such offices are elected. The State Board shall meet publicly to select the campaign committees to be reviewed by a drawing that ensures selection on a random basis.

C. No review shall be conducted of a campaign committee for any office that has received less than $25,000 in contributions during the campaign, including the transfer of surplus funds from a prior campaign. Campaign committees for candidates that are exempt from review pursuant to this subsection shall not be included in the drawing provided for in subsection B or counted in determining the number that equals the relevant percentage of the campaign committees to be reviewed.

D. In the performance of its duties under this section, the Department may employ the services of additional personnel to the extent that appropriated funds are available to the Department for such purpose.

E. The Department shall make a report of the results of its reviews available to the State Board, the Governor, and the General Assembly by July 1 of each year following the election year for the office to which the review pertains and the same shall be posted to the Department's website.

2022, c. 258 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-1007 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 10 / Section 24.2-1007
Soliciting or accepting bribe to influence or procure vote or registration
Status: in_force

A. No person shall solicit or accept directly or indirectly any money or any thing of value (i) to influence his or another's vote in any election or (ii) in exchange for his or another's decision to register or not register to vote. Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. This section shall not be construed to apply to any of the following:

1. Transportation to or from a voting or voter registration location;

2. Items of de minimis value that are not cash or cash equivalents;

3. Granting time off to an employee to vote or register to vote; or

4. Paying a person a wage to conduct a voter registration drive.

C. This section applies to any election and to any method used by a political party for selection of its nominees and for selection of delegates to its conventions and meetings.

Code 1950, §§ 24-405, 24-452; 1952, c. 4; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-272; 1976, c. 616; 1993, c. 641; 2026, c. 909 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-604.3 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-604.3
Election day page program; high school students
Status: in_force

A. The local electoral board, or its general registrar, may conduct a special election day page program for high school students in one or more polling places designated by the electoral board or the general registrar, which may include a central absentee voter precinct. Students shall be selected for the election day page program by the electoral board or the general registrar in cooperation with high school authorities. The program shall be designed to stimulate the pages' interest in elections and registering to vote, provide assistance to the officers of election, and ensure the safe entry and exit of elderly and disabled voters from the polling place.

B. Each page shall receive, from a person designated by the electoral board, training on the duties, responsibilities, and prohibited conduct of election pages. Each page shall take and sign an oath as an election page, serve under the direct supervision of the chief officer of election of his assigned polling place, and observe strict impartiality at all times.

C. Election pages may observe the electoral process and seek information from the chief officer of election and may assist in the arrangement of the voting equipment, furniture, and other materials for the conduct of the election but shall not enter any voting booth. Election pages may, at the direction and under the direct supervision of the chief officer of election, assist in the counting of unmarked ballots but shall not handle or touch ballots in any other circumstance.

2018, c. 700 ; 2020, c. 285 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-604.2 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 1 / Section 24.2-604.2
Polling places; prohibited area; emergency situations
Status: in_force

If an emergency causes the dimensions of the prohibited area for a polling place to be perceived as increasing the risk of danger for persons outside the polling place, the electoral board may modify the distance requirements for the prohibited area, subject to the prior approval of the State Board. For purposes of this section, an "emergency" includes a state of emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to Chapter 3.2 (§ 44-146.13 et seq.) of Title 44 or declared by the President of the United States.

2003, c. 241 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-647 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 6 / Article 4 / Section 24.2-647
Voting systems; demonstration on election day
Status: in_force

The general registrar shall provide at each polling place on election day, for the voting system in use, a model of or materials displaying a portion of its ballot face. The model or materials shall be located on the table of one of the officers or in some other place accessible to the voters. An officer of election shall instruct any voter who requests instruction before voting on the proper manner of voting. The officer may direct the voter's attention to sample ballots so that the voter may become familiar with the location of questions and names of offices and candidates.

For ballot scanner machines, an officer of election, using a demonstration ballot and machine, shall show each voter who requests, immediately on entry to the polling place, the manner in which the ballot is to be voted.

If any voter, after entering the voting booth, asks for further instructions concerning the manner of voting, two of the officers from different political parties shall give such instructions to him, but no officer shall in any manner request or seek to persuade or induce any such voter to vote for or against any particular ticket, candidate, or question. After giving such instructions and before the voter votes, the officers shall leave the voting booth, and the voter shall cast his ballot in secret.

Code 1950, § 24-309; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-219; 1980, c. 639; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 2014, cc. 540 , 576 ; 2016, cc. 18 , 492 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-959 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.5 / Article 5 / Section 24.2-959
Requirements for campaign telephone calls sponsored by a candidate or candidate campaign committee
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any candidate or candidate campaign committee to make campaign telephone calls without disclosing, before the conclusion of each telephone call, information to identify the candidate or candidate campaign committee who has authorized and is paying for the calls unless such call is terminated prematurely by means beyond the maker's control.

The person making the telephone call shall disclose the name of the candidate.

It shall be unlawful for any candidate or candidate campaign committee making campaign telephone calls to intentionally modify the caller identification information of any campaign telephone call for the purpose of misleading the recipient as to the identity of the caller. If the call is made from an automatic dialing-announcing device and caller identification information includes a name associated with the telephone number, then the caller identification information shall include either the name of the candidate or candidate campaign committee as it appears on the statement of organization that has authorized and is paying for the calls, or the vendor conducting the calls on behalf of the candidate or candidate campaign committee. "Automatic dialing-announcing device" means the same as that term is defined in § 59.1-518.1 .

It shall also be unlawful (i) for any candidate or candidate campaign committee who contracts for campaign telephone calls to fail to provide to the persons making the telephone calls the identifying information required by this section or (ii) for any person to provide a false or fictitious name or address when providing the identifying information required.

2000, c. 874 , § 24.2-1014.1; 2006, cc. 787 , 892 ; 2010, c. 323 ; 2020, c. 615 .
Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-953.2 — Virginia Code / Title 24.2 / Chapter 9.3 / Article 8 / Section 24.2-953.2
Late filing of required reports
Status: in_force

A. In the case of the late filing of the statement of organization required by this chapter for a candidate campaign committee or political committee, there shall be a civil penalty not to exceed $500.

B. In the case of a late filing of a required report, the candidate campaign committee or political committee shall be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed $500. In the case of a second or any subsequent such violation pertaining to one election cycle, the candidate campaign committee or political committee shall be assessed a civil penalty of $1,000 for each such late filing.

2006, cc. 787 , 892 .