A. Any person, other than a candidate for a party nomination or a party nominee, who intends to be a candidate for any office to be elected by the qualified voters of the Commonwealth at large or of a congressional district shall file a declaration of candidacy with the State Board, on a form prescribed by the Board, designating the office for which he is a candidate. The written declaration shall be attested by two witnesses who are qualified voters of the Commonwealth or of the congressional district, or acknowledged before some officer authorized to take acknowledgements to deeds. The declaration shall be signed by the candidate, but if he is incapable of writing his proper signature then some mark adopted by him as his signature shall be acknowledged before some officer authorized to take acknowledgments to deeds.
The State Board shall notify the respective secretaries of the appropriate electoral boards of the qualified candidates who have so filed.
B. Any person, other than a candidate for a party nomination or party nominee, who intends to be a candidate for election to the General Assembly shall file a declaration of candidacy with the general registrar of the county or city where he resides. The declaration shall be in all respects the same as that required to be given to the State Board by statewide and congressional district candidates. The general registrar shall, within three days after receiving the declaration, (i) deliver it in person or transmit it by certified mail, along with the petitions required by § 24.2-506 or copies thereof, to the general registrars of the other counties or cities, if any, in the legislative district for delivery to the secretaries of the electoral boards and (ii) deliver the declaration and such petitions to the secretary of his electoral board. He shall transmit the names of the candidates who have filed with him to the State Board immediately after the filing deadline.
C. Any person, other than a candidate for a party nomination or party nominee, who intends to be a candidate at any election for any other office shall file a declaration of candidacy with the general registrar of the county or city where he resides. The declaration shall be in all respects the same as that required to be given to the State Board by statewide and congressional district candidates. The general registrar shall, within three days after receiving the declaration, deliver it in person or transmit it by certified mail, along with the petitions required by § 24.2-506 or copies thereof, to the secretaries of the electoral boards of the counties or cities whose electors vote for the office. He shall transmit the names of the candidates who have filed with him to the State Board immediately after the filing deadline.
D. If requested in writing by a candidate filing pursuant to subsection B or C, the secretary of the electoral board shall notify him of any irregularity in the declaration or petitions which can be corrected prior to the filing deadline.
Code 1950, §§ 24-130, 24-131, 24-134.1, 24-135; 1958, c. 605; 1960, c. 427; 1962, c. 536; 1964, cc. 540, 541; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-166; 1971, Ex. Sess., cc. 119, 247; 1972, c. 620; 1973, c. 30; 1974, c. 428; 1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 616; 1978, c. 778; 1981, c. 425; 1983, c. 461; 1984, c. 480; 1991, c. 137; 1993, c. 641; 1996, c. 270.
Structure Code of Virginia
Chapter 5 - Candidates for Office
§ 24.2-500. Qualification of candidates
§ 24.2-501. Statement of qualification as requirement of candidacy
§ 24.2-502. Statement of economic interests as requirement of candidacy
§ 24.2-503. Deadlines for filing required statements; extensions
§ 24.2-504. Persons entitled to have name printed on ballot
§ 24.2-505. Declaration of candidacy required of independent candidates
§ 24.2-507. Deadlines for filing declarations and petitions of candidacy
§ 24.2-508. Powers of political parties in general
§ 24.2-510. Deadlines for parties to nominate by methods other than primary
§ 24.2-512. Primaries to be conducted in accordance with article
§ 24.2-513. Provisions as to general elections applicable
§ 24.2-514. To what nominations this article applies
§ 24.2-515. Presidential election year primaries
§ 24.2-515.1. Schedule for primaries in the year 2001 and each tenth year thereafter
§ 24.2-516. Party to furnish names of chairmen and notify State Board of adoption of direct primary
§ 24.2-517. State Board to order election
§ 24.2-518. County and city treasurers to pay primary expenses; certain uses of machinery by party
§ 24.2-519. Qualification of primary candidates
§ 24.2-520. Declaration of candidacy required
§ 24.2-521. Petition required to accompany declaration; number of signatures required
§ 24.2-522. When and to whom filings to be made
§ 24.2-523. Candidates to pay fee before filing
§ 24.2-524. To whom fees paid; refund of fees
§ 24.2-525. Persons entitled to have name printed on ballot
§ 24.2-526. Primary not to be held when less than two candidates declare
§ 24.2-528. No primary candidate to be nominated by convention
§ 24.2-530. Who may vote in primary
§ 24.2-531. Pollbooks used during primaries
§ 24.2-532. Abstracts of votes; law-enforcement officer to obtain returns not forwarded
§ 24.2-534. Returns tabulated by State Board; when nominee declared
§ 24.2-535. Vote required to nominate
§ 24.2-536. Procedure when a vacancy in office occurs less than 75 days before primary date
§ 24.2-538. Procedure when opposed candidate for nomination dies prior to primary
§ 24.2-540. Other parties may also nominate; independent candidates
§ 24.2-541. Printing of names on ballot
§ 24.2-543. How other groups may submit names of electors; oaths of electors