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Virginia > Title 24.2 Elections > Candidates For Office Article 1. Qualifications and Requirements of All Candidates

§ 24.2-501 Statement of qualification as requirement of candidacy

Overview of Statute

A candidate for any office of the Commonwealth or of its governmental units must file a written statement under oath that he is qualified to vote for and to hold the office for which he is a candidate. This section informs candidates of whom they must file this statement with. Candidates may use these statements to indicate how they would like their names to appear on the ballot.

Statute

It shall be a requirement of candidacy for any office of the Commonwealth, or of its governmental units, that a person must file a written statement under oath, on a form prescribed by the State Board, that he is qualified to vote for and hold the office for which he is a candidate. Every candidate for election to statewide office, the United States House of Representatives, or the General Assembly shall file the statement with the State Board. Every candidate for any other office shall file the statement with the general registrar of the county or city where he resides. Each general registrar shall transmit to the State Board, immediately after the filing deadline, a list of the candidates who have filed statements of qualification.

The candidate may state, as part of his statement of qualification, how he would like his name to appear on the ballot; however, all names printed on the ballot shall meet the criteria established by the State Board.

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; 2003, c. 1015.

Definition [State Board]

The State Board of Elections.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [United States]

Used in the territorial sense, means the several states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

See § 24.2-452.

Definition [Statewide office]

The office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General.

See § 24.2-945.1.

Definition [General Registrar]

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.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Board]

The State Board of Elections.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [State]

A state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

See § 24.2-452.

Definition [Person]

Any individual or corporation, partnership, business, labor organization, membership organization, association, cooperative, or other like entity.

For the purpose of applying the filing and reporting requirements of this chapter, the term “person” shall not include an organization holding tax-exempt status under § 501(c) (3), 501(c) (4), or 501(c) (6) of the United States Internal Revenue Code which, in providing information to voters, does not advocate or endorse the election or defeat of a particular candidate, group of candidates, or the candidates of a particular political party.

See § 24.2-945.1.

Definition [Election]

A general, primary, or special election.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Candidate]

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.

See § 24.2-101.

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