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Virginia > Title 24.2 Elections > Recounts And Contested Elections Article 2. Contested Elections

§ 24.2-814 Contest following recount

Overview of Statute

This section outlines the procedure for a primary candidate to contest the results of a recount.

Statute

A candidate in a primary or an election to office, who was originally declared a winner and subsequently loses as the result of a recount, may file either (i) notice of his intent to contest the result in accordance with § 24.2-803 or 24.2-804 or (ii) a written complaint pursuant to § 24.2-805 or 24.2-806. Such notice or complaint shall be filed within 10 days following the date of the entry of the order of the recount court pursuant to subsection F of § 24.2-802.2.

In the case of a contest pursuant to § 24.2-803 or 24.2-804, the times for filing the answer, petition, and reply and for taking depositions and affidavits shall be set by the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the appropriate house. The Committee may consider the contestant’s and contestee’s recommendations for the procedural schedule.

This section shall not be applicable to a contest of an election for the President and Vice President of the United States.

1988, c. 714, § 24.1-241.1; 1993, c. 641; 2001, cc. 639641; 2003, c. 268; 2020, c. 886.

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 [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 [Primary]

An election held for the purpose of selecting a candidate to be the nominee of a political party for election to office.

See § 24.2-101.

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.

Additional Resources

Useful Links

  • Virginia Election Recounts and Contests -- The Basics (Updated Nov. 2015) (View PDF)