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§ 24.2-801 Petition for recount; recount court

A. The petition for a recount of an election, other than an election for presidential electors, shall be filed within 10 days from the day the State Board or the electoral board certifies the result of the election under § 24.2-679 or 24.2-671, but not thereafter. The petition shall be filed in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond in the case of any statewide office and in the circuit court of the county or city in which the candidate being challenged resides in the case of any other office. The petition shall be filed in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond in the case of any statewide referendum and in the circuit court of any county or city comprising a part of the election district in the case of any other referendum.

B. The petition shall set forth the results certified by the State Board or electoral board and shall request the court to have the ballots in the election recounted.

C. In an election for office, a copy of the petition shall be served on the candidate apparently nominated or elected as provided under § 8.01-296 and within 10 days after the State Board or electoral board has certified the results of such election. In a referendum, a copy of the petition shall be so served on the governing body or chief executive officer of the jurisdiction in which the election was held.

D. The chief judge of the circuit court in which a petition is filed shall promptly notify the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, who shall designate two other judges to sit with the chief judge, and the court shall be constituted and sit in all respects as a court appointed and sitting under §§ 24.2-805 and 24.2-806.

History

This law was first created in 1979. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 293 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1979 “Acts” aren’t available online. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1981, chapter 570; in 1993, chapter 641; in 2003, chapter 268; in 2014, chapters 540 and 576; in 2016, chapter 464; in 2020, chapter 886.

1979, c. 293, § 24.1-249; 1981, c. 570; 1993, c. 641; 2003, c. 268; 2014, cc. 540, 576; 2016, c. 464; 2020, c. 886.

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