A. The duly constituted authorities of the state political party shall have the right to determine the method by which a party nomination for a member of the United States Senate or for any statewide office shall be made. The duly constituted authorities of the political party for the district, county, city, or town in which any other office is to be filled shall have the right to determine the method by which a party nomination for that office shall be made.
B. Notwithstanding subsection A, the following provisions shall apply to the determination of the method of making party nominations. A party shall nominate its candidate for election for a General Assembly district where there is only one incumbent of that party for the district by the method designated by that incumbent, or absent any designation by him by the method of nomination determined by the party. A party shall nominate its candidates for election for a General Assembly district where there is more than one incumbent of that party for the district by a primary unless all the incumbents consent to a different method of nomination. A party, whose candidate at the immediately preceding election for a particular office other than the General Assembly (i) was nominated by a primary or filed for a primary but was not opposed and (ii) was elected at the general election, shall nominate a candidate for the next election for that office by a primary unless all incumbents of that party for that office consent to a different method.
When, under any of the foregoing provisions, no incumbents offer as candidates for reelection to the same office, the method of nomination shall be determined by the political party.
For the purposes of this subsection, any officeholder who offers for reelection to the same office shall be deemed an incumbent notwithstanding that the district which he represents differs in part from that for which he offers for election.
Code 1950, §§ 24-348, 24-361, 24-363, 24-364; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-171, 24.1-172; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 119; 1973, c. 30; 1975, c. 515; 1978, c. 778; 1993, c. 641.
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