{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-506.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-506.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-506.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-506.html"}],"law_id":77384,"edition_id":1,"section_id":77384,"structure_id":14868,"section_number":"24.2-506","catch_line":"Petition of qualified voters required; number of signatures required; certain towns excepted","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 24-133; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-168; 1971, Ex. Sess., cc. 119, 247; 1978, c. 778; 1980, c. 639; 1982, c. 650; 1983, c. 188; 1987, c. 118; 1989, c. 141; 1992, c. 855; 1993, cc. 407, 641; 1998, cc. 152, 246; 2000, cc. 232, 252; 2001, c. 53; 2003, c. 477; 2010, c. 215; 2012, cc. 166, 538; 2013, c. 684; 2017, c. 355; 2019, c. 682; 2020, c. 501; 2024, c. 498.","full_text":"A\n\nThe name of any candidate for any office, other than a party nominee, shall not be printed upon any official ballots provided for the election unless he shall file along with his declaration of candidacy a petition therefor, on a form prescribed by the State Board, signed by the number of qualified voters specified in this subsection on and after January 1 of the year in which the general election is held, or on and after the day on which the writ of election is issued in the case of a special election, and listing the residence address of each such voter. Each signature on the petition shall have been witnessed by a person who is not a minor or a felon whose voting rights have not been restored and whose affidavit to that effect appears on each page of the petition. Each such person circulating a petition who is not a legal resident of the Commonwealth shall sign a statement on the affidavit that he consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of Virginia in resolving any disputes concerning the circulation of petitions, or signatures contained therein, by that person. The signatures of qualified voters collected by a nonresident petition circulator who fails to sign such statement, or who later fails to appear or produce documents when properly served with a subpoena to do so, shall not be counted towards the minimum number of signatures required pursuant to this subsection.\n\t\t\tEach voter signing the petition may provide on the petition the last four digits of his social security number, if any; however, noncompliance with this requirement shall not be cause to invalidate the voter’s signature on the petition.\n\t\t\tThe minimum number of signatures of qualified voters required for candidate petitions shall be as follows:1\n\nFor a candidate for the United States Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General, 10,000 signatures, including the signatures of at least 400 qualified voters from each congressional district in the Commonwealth;2\n\nFor a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, 1,000 signatures;3\n\nFor a candidate for the Senate of Virginia, 250 signatures;4\n\nFor a candidate for the House of Delegates or for a constitutional office, 125 signatures;5\n\nFor a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any county or city, 125 signatures; or if from an election district not at large containing 1,000 or fewer registered voters, 50 signatures;6\n\nFor a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has more than 3,500 registered voters, 125 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures;7\n\nFor a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has at least 1,500 but not more than 3,500 registered voters, 50 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures;8\n\nFor a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has fewer than 1,500 registered voters, no petition shall be required;9\n\nFor a candidate for director of a soil and water conservation district created pursuant to Article 3 (§ 10.1-506 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 10.1, 25 signatures; and10\n\nFor any other candidate, 50 signatures.B\n\nThe State Board shall approve uniform standards by which petitions filed by a candidate for office, other than a party nominee, are reviewed to determine if the petitions contain sufficient signatures of qualified voters as required in subsection A.\n\t\t\tThe State Board of Elections, on or before January 1, 2020, shall revise its processes and associated regulations for reviewing and processing candidate petitions. Such revisions shall provide a process for checking petition signatures that includes a method for determining if a petition signature belongs to an individual whose prior registration has been canceled and the reason for such cancellation. The process shall provide for the tracking of such information associated with each petition. The process shall provide for the escalation of cases of suspected fraud to the electoral board, the State Board, or the office of the attorney for the Commonwealth, as appropriate.C\n\nIf a candidate, other than a party nominee, does not qualify to have his name appear on the ballot by reason of the candidate’s filed petition not containing the minimum number of signatures of qualified voters for the office sought, the candidate may appeal that determination within five calendar days of the issuance of the notice of disqualification pursuant to § 24.2-612 or notice from the State Board that the candidate did not meet the requirements to have his name appear on the ballot.\n\t\t\tAppeals made by candidates for a county, city, or town office shall be filed with the electoral board. Appeals made by candidates for all other offices shall be filed with the State Board. The appeal shall be heard by the State Board or the electoral board, as appropriate, within five business days of its filing. The electoral board shall notify the State Board of any appeal that is filed with the electoral board.\n\t\t\tThe State Board shall develop procedures for the conduct of such an appeal. The consideration on appeal shall be limited to whether or not the signatures on the petitions that were filed were reasonably rejected according to the requirements of this title and the uniform standards approved by the State Board for the review of petitions. Immediately after the conclusion of the appeal hearing, the entity conducting the appeal shall notify the candidate and, if applicable, the State Board, of its decision in writing. The decision on appeal shall be final and not subject to further appeal.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":277572,"text":"The name of any candidate for any office, other than a party nominee, shall not be printed upon any official ballots provided for the election unless he shall file along with his declaration of candidacy a petition therefor, on a form prescribed by the State Board, signed by the number of qualified voters specified in this subsection on and after January 1 of the year in which the general election is held, or on and after the day on which the writ of election is issued in the case of a special election, and listing the residence address of each such voter. Each signature on the petition shall have been witnessed by a person who is not a minor or a felon whose voting rights have not been restored and whose affidavit to that effect appears on each page of the petition. Each such person circulating a petition who is not a legal resident of the Commonwealth shall sign a statement on the affidavit that he consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of Virginia in resolving any disputes concerning the circulation of petitions, or signatures contained therein, by that person. The signatures of qualified voters collected by a nonresident petition circulator who fails to sign such statement, or who later fails to appear or produce documents when properly served with a subpoena to do so, shall not be counted towards the minimum number of signatures required pursuant to this subsection.\n\t\t\tEach voter signing the petition may provide on the petition the last four digits of his social security number, if any; however, noncompliance with this requirement shall not be cause to invalidate the voter’s signature on the petition.\n\t\t\tThe minimum number of signatures of qualified voters required for candidate petitions shall be as follows:","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"A1"},"1":{"id":277573,"text":"For a candidate for the United States Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General, 10,000 signatures, including the signatures of at least 400 qualified voters from each congressional district in the Commonwealth;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"A1","prefix_anchor":"A1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"A2"},"2":{"id":277574,"text":"For a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, 1,000 signatures;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"A2","prefix_anchor":"A2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A1","next_prefix":"A3"},"3":{"id":277575,"text":"For a candidate for the Senate of Virginia, 250 signatures;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"A3","prefix_anchor":"A3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A2","next_prefix":"A4"},"4":{"id":277576,"text":"For a candidate for the House of Delegates or for a constitutional office, 125 signatures;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"A4","prefix_anchor":"A4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A3","next_prefix":"A5"},"5":{"id":277577,"text":"For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any county or city, 125 signatures; or if from an election district not at large containing 1,000 or fewer registered voters, 50 signatures;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"A5","prefix_anchor":"A5","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A4","next_prefix":"A6"},"6":{"id":277578,"text":"For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has more than 3,500 registered voters, 125 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"A6","prefix_anchor":"A6","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A5","next_prefix":"A7"},"7":{"id":277579,"text":"For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has at least 1,500 but not more than 3,500 registered voters, 50 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"A7","prefix_anchor":"A7","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A6","next_prefix":"A8"},"8":{"id":277580,"text":"For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has fewer than 1,500 registered voters, no petition shall be required;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","8"],"prefix":"8","entire_prefix":"A8","prefix_anchor":"A8","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A7","next_prefix":"A9"},"9":{"id":277581,"text":"For a candidate for director of a soil and water conservation district created pursuant to Article 3 (§ 10.1-506 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 10.1, 25 signatures; and","type":"section","prefixes":["A","9"],"prefix":"9","entire_prefix":"A9","prefix_anchor":"A9","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A8","next_prefix":"A10"},"10":{"id":277582,"text":"For any other candidate, 50 signatures.","type":"section","prefixes":["A","10"],"prefix":"10","entire_prefix":"A10","prefix_anchor":"A10","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A9","next_prefix":"B"},"11":{"id":277583,"text":"The State Board shall approve uniform standards by which petitions filed by a candidate for office, other than a party nominee, are reviewed to determine if the petitions contain sufficient signatures of qualified voters as required in subsection A.\n\t\t\tThe State Board of Elections, on or before January 1, 2020, shall revise its processes and associated regulations for reviewing and processing candidate petitions. Such revisions shall provide a process for checking petition signatures that includes a method for determining if a petition signature belongs to an individual whose prior registration has been canceled and the reason for such cancellation. The process shall provide for the tracking of such information associated with each petition. The process shall provide for the escalation of cases of suspected fraud to the electoral board, the State Board, or the office of the attorney for the Commonwealth, as appropriate.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A10","next_prefix":"C"},"12":{"id":277584,"text":"If a candidate, other than a party nominee, does not qualify to have his name appear on the ballot by reason of the candidate’s filed petition not containing the minimum number of signatures of qualified voters for the office sought, the candidate may appeal that determination within five calendar days of the issuance of the notice of disqualification pursuant to § 24.2-612 or notice from the State Board that the candidate did not meet the requirements to have his name appear on the ballot.\n\t\t\tAppeals made by candidates for a county, city, or town office shall be filed with the electoral board. Appeals made by candidates for all other offices shall be filed with the State Board. The appeal shall be heard by the State Board or the electoral board, as appropriate, within five business days of its filing. The electoral board shall notify the State Board of any appeal that is filed with the electoral board.\n\t\t\tThe State Board shall develop procedures for the conduct of such an appeal. The consideration on appeal shall be limited to whether or not the signatures on the petitions that were filed were reasonably rejected according to the requirements of this title and the uniform standards approved by the State Board for the review of petitions. Immediately after the conclusion of the appeal hearing, the entity conducting the appeal shall notify the candidate and, if applicable, the State Board, of its decision in writing. The decision on appeal shall be final and not subject to further appeal.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14868,"edition_id":1,"name":"Independent Candidates","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13313,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:29","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:29","permalink":{"id":188215,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14868,"identifier":"2","token":"24.2\/5\/2","url":"\/24.2\/5\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13313,"edition_id":1,"name":"Candidates for Office","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12937,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:37","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:37","permalink":{"id":188187,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13313,"identifier":"5","token":"24.2\/5","url":"\/24.2\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12937,"edition_id":1,"name":"Elections","identifier":"24.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":187149,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12937,"identifier":"24.2","token":"24.2","url":"\/24.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":56801,"structure_id":14868,"section_number":"24.2-505","catch_line":"Declaration of candidacy required of independent candidates","url":"\/24.2-505\/","token":"24.2\/5\/2\/24.2-505","metadata":false},{"id":77384,"structure_id":14868,"section_number":"24.2-506","catch_line":"Petition of qualified voters required; number of signatures required; certain towns excepted","url":"\/24.2-506\/","token":"24.2\/5\/2\/24.2-506","metadata":false},{"id":79004,"structure_id":14868,"section_number":"24.2-507","catch_line":"Deadlines for filing declarations and petitions of candidacy","url":"\/24.2-507\/","token":"24.2\/5\/2\/24.2-507","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":56801,"structure_id":14868,"section_number":"24.2-505","catch_line":"Declaration of candidacy required of independent candidates","url":"\/24.2-505\/","token":"24.2\/5\/2\/24.2-505","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":79004,"structure_id":14868,"section_number":"24.2-507","catch_line":"Deadlines for filing declarations and petitions of candidacy","url":"\/24.2-507\/","token":"24.2\/5\/2\/24.2-507","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-506\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 20 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1970, chapter 462; in 1978, chapter 778; in 1980, chapter 639; in 1982, chapter 650; in 1983, chapter 188; in 1987, chapter 118; in 1989, chapter 141; in 1992, chapter 855; in 1993, chapters 407 and 641; in 1998, chapters 152<\/a> and 246<\/a>; in 2000, chapters 232<\/a> and 252<\/a>; in 2001, chapter 53<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 477<\/a>; in 2010, chapter 215<\/a>; in 2012, chapters 166<\/a> and 538<\/a>; in 2013, chapter 684<\/a>; in 2017, chapter 355<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 682<\/a>; in 2020, chapter 501<\/a>; in 2024, chapter 498<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":58935,"section_number":"10.1-523","catch_line":"Nominating petitions; posting of notice","order_by":null,"url":"\/10.1-523\/"},{"id":54602,"section_number":"15.2-627","catch_line":"Department of education","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-627\/"},{"id":76285,"section_number":"24.2-311","catch_line":"Effective date of decennial redistricting measures; elections following decennial redistricting","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-311\/"},{"id":54362,"section_number":"24.2-313","catch_line":"Rescheduling of certain local elections following the decennial redistricting of districts for the governing body","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-313\/"},{"id":56801,"section_number":"24.2-505","catch_line":"Declaration of candidacy required of independent candidates","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-505\/"},{"id":74566,"section_number":"24.2-613","catch_line":"Form of ballot","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-613\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":57608,"section_number":"10.1-506","catch_line":"Power to create new districts and to relocate or define district boundaries; composition of districts","order_by":null,"url":"\/10.1-506\/"},{"id":57868,"section_number":"24.2-612","catch_line":"List of offices and candidates filed with Department of Elections and checked for accuracy; when ballots printed; number required","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-612\/"}],"permalink":{"id":188221,"object_type":"law","relational_id":77384,"identifier":"24.2-506","token":"24.2\/5\/2\/24.2-506","url":"\/24.2-506\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-506\/","token":"24.2\/5\/2\/24.2-506","dublin_core":{"Title":"Petition of qualified voters required; number of signatures required; certain towns excepted","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-506","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The name of any candidate<\/span> for any office, other than a party<\/span> nominee, shall not be printed upon any official ballots provided for the election unless he shall file along with his declaration of candidacy a petition<\/span> therefor, on a form prescribed by the State Board<\/span>, signed by the number of qualified voters<\/span> specified in this subsection on and after January 1 of the year in which the general election<\/span> is held, or on and after the day on which the writ<\/span> of election is issued in the case of a special election<\/span>, and listing the residence<\/span> address of each such voter. Each signature on the petition<\/span> shall have been witnessed by a person who is not a minor<\/span> or a felon whose voting rights have not been restored and whose affidavit<\/span> to that effect appears on each page of the petition<\/span>. Each such person circulating a petition<\/span> who is not a legal resident of the Commonwealth shall sign a statement on the affidavit<\/span> that he consents to the jurisdiction<\/span> of the courts<\/span> of Virginia in resolving any disputes concerning the circulation of petitions<\/span>, or signatures contained therein, by that person. The signatures of qualified voters<\/span> collected by a nonresident petition<\/span> circulator who fails to sign such statement, or who later fails to appear or produce documents when properly served with a subpoena<\/span> to do so, shall not be counted towards the minimum number of signatures required pursuant to this subsection.\n\t\t\tEach voter signing the petition<\/span> may provide on the petition<\/span> the last four digits of his social security number, if any; however, noncompliance with this requirement shall not be cause to invalidate the voter’s signature on the petition<\/span>.\n\t\t\tThe minimum number of signatures of qualified voters<\/span> required for candidate<\/span> petitions<\/span> shall be as follows: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for the United States Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General<\/span>, 10,000 signatures, including the signatures of at least 400 qualified voters<\/span> from each congressional district in the Commonwealth; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for the United States House of Representatives, 1,000 signatures; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for the Senate of Virginia, 250 signatures; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for the House of Delegates or for a constitutional office<\/span>, 125 signatures; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any county or city, 125 signatures; or if from an election district<\/span> not at large containing 1,000 or fewer registered voters<\/span>, 50 signatures; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has more than 3,500 registered voters<\/span>, 125 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has at least 1,500 but not more than 3,500 registered voters<\/span>, 50 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

8.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has fewer than 1,500 registered voters<\/span>, no petition<\/span> shall be required; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

9.<\/span> For a candidate<\/span> for director of a soil and water conservation district created pursuant to Article 3 (§ 10.1-506<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 10.1, 25 signatures; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

10.<\/span> For any other candidate<\/span>, 50 signatures. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The State Board<\/span> shall approve uniform standards by which petitions<\/span> filed by a candidate<\/span> for office, other than a party<\/span> nominee, are reviewed to determine if the petitions<\/span> contain sufficient signatures of qualified voters<\/span> as required in subsection A.\n\t\t\tThe State Board<\/span> of Elections<\/span>, on or before January 1, 2020, shall revise its processes and associated regulations for reviewing and processing candidate<\/span> petitions<\/span>. Such revisions shall provide a process for checking petition<\/span> signatures that includes a method for determining if a petition<\/span> signature belongs to an individual whose prior registration has been canceled and the reason for such cancellation. The process shall provide for the tracking of such information associated with each petition<\/span>. The process shall provide for the escalation of cases of suspected fraud<\/span> to the electoral board<\/span>, the State Board<\/span>, or the office of the attorney for the Commonwealth, as appropriate. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> If a candidate<\/span>, other than a party<\/span> nominee, does not qualify to have his name appear on the ballot by reason of the candidate<\/span>’s filed petition<\/span> not containing the minimum number of signatures of qualified voters<\/span> for the office sought, the candidate<\/span> may appeal<\/span> that determination within five calendar days of the issuance of the notice of disqualification pursuant to § 24.2-612<\/a> or notice from the State Board<\/span> that the candidate<\/span> did not meet the requirements to have his name appear on the ballot.\n\t\t\tAppeals<\/span> made by candidates<\/span> for a county, city, or town office shall be filed with the electoral board<\/span>. Appeals<\/span> made by candidates<\/span> for all other offices shall be filed with the State Board<\/span>. The appeal<\/span> shall be heard by the State Board<\/span> or the electoral board<\/span>, as appropriate, within five business days of its filing. The electoral board<\/span> shall notify the State Board<\/span> of any appeal<\/span> that is filed with the electoral board<\/span>.\n\t\t\tThe State Board<\/span> shall develop procedures for the conduct of such an appeal<\/span>. The consideration on appeal<\/span> shall be limited to whether or not the signatures on the petitions<\/span> that were filed were reasonably rejected according to the requirements of this title and the uniform standards approved by the State Board<\/span> for the review of petitions<\/span>. Immediately after the conclusion of the appeal<\/span> hearing<\/span>, the entity conducting the appeal<\/span> shall notify the candidate<\/span> and, if applicable, the State Board<\/span>, of its decision in writing. The decision on appeal<\/span> shall be final and not subject to further appeal<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPETITION OF QUALIFIED VOTERS REQUIRED; NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED; CERTAIN\nTOWNS EXCEPTED (\u00a7 24.2-506)\n\nA. The name of any candidate for any office, other than a party nominee, shall\nnot be printed upon any official ballots provided for the election unless he\nshall file along with his declaration of candidacy a petition therefor, on a\nform prescribed by the State Board, signed by the number of qualified voters\nspecified in this subsection on and after January 1 of the year in which the\ngeneral election is held, or on and after the day on which the writ of election\nis issued in the case of a special election, and listing the residence address\nof each such voter. Each signature on the petition shall have been witnessed by\na person who is not a minor or a felon whose voting rights have not been\nrestored and whose affidavit to that effect appears on each page of the\npetition. Each such person circulating a petition who is not a legal resident of\nthe Commonwealth shall sign a statement on the affidavit that he consents to the\njurisdiction of the courts of Virginia in resolving any disputes concerning the\ncirculation of petitions, or signatures contained therein, by that person. The\nsignatures of qualified voters collected by a nonresident petition circulator\nwho fails to sign such statement, or who later fails to appear or produce\ndocuments when properly served with a subpoena to do so, shall not be counted\ntowards the minimum number of signatures required pursuant to this subsection.\n\t\t\tEach voter signing the petition may provide on the petition the last four\ndigits of his social security number, if any; however, noncompliance with this\nrequirement shall not be cause to invalidate the voter’s signature on the\npetition.\n\t\t\tThe minimum number of signatures of qualified voters required for candidate\npetitions shall be as follows:\n\n 1. For a candidate for the United States Senate, Governor, Lieutenant\n Governor, or Attorney General, 10,000 signatures, including the signatures of\n at least 400 qualified voters from each congressional district in the\n Commonwealth;\n\n 2. For a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, 1,000\n signatures;\n\n 3. For a candidate for the Senate of Virginia, 250 signatures;\n\n 4. For a candidate for the House of Delegates or for a constitutional office,\n 125 signatures;\n\n 5. For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school\n board of any county or city, 125 signatures; or if from an election district\n not at large containing 1,000 or fewer registered voters, 50 signatures;\n\n 6. For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school\n board of any town that has more than 3,500 registered voters, 125 signatures;\n or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures;\n\n 7. For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school\n board of any town that has at least 1,500 but not more than 3,500 registered\n voters, 50 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25\n signatures;\n\n 8. For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school\n board of any town that has fewer than 1,500 registered voters, no petition\n shall be required;\n\n 9. For a candidate for director of a soil and water conservation district\n created pursuant to Article 3 (§ 10.1-506 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title\n 10.1, 25 signatures; and\n\n 10. For any other candidate, 50 signatures.\n\nB. The State Board shall approve uniform standards by which petitions filed by a\ncandidate for office, other than a party nominee, are reviewed to determine if\nthe petitions contain sufficient signatures of qualified voters as required in\nsubsection A.\n\t\t\tThe State Board of Elections, on or before January 1, 2020, shall revise its\nprocesses and associated regulations for reviewing and processing candidate\npetitions. Such revisions shall provide a process for checking petition\nsignatures that includes a method for determining if a petition signature\nbelongs to an individual whose prior registration has been canceled and the\nreason for such cancellation. The process shall provide for the tracking of such\ninformation associated with each petition. The process shall provide for the\nescalation of cases of suspected fraud to the electoral board, the State Board,\nor the office of the attorney for the Commonwealth, as appropriate.\n\nC. If a candidate, other than a party nominee, does not qualify to have his name\nappear on the ballot by reason of the candidate’s filed petition not\ncontaining the minimum number of signatures of qualified voters for the office\nsought, the candidate may appeal that determination within five calendar days of\nthe issuance of the notice of disqualification pursuant to § 24.2-612 or\nnotice from the State Board that the candidate did not meet the requirements to\nhave his name appear on the ballot.\n\t\t\tAppeals made by candidates for a county, city, or town office shall be filed\nwith the electoral board. Appeals made by candidates for all other offices shall\nbe filed with the State Board. The appeal shall be heard by the State Board or\nthe electoral board, as appropriate, within five business days of its filing.\nThe electoral board shall notify the State Board of any appeal that is filed\nwith the electoral board.\n\t\t\tThe State Board shall develop procedures for the conduct of such an appeal.\nThe consideration on appeal shall be limited to whether or not the signatures on\nthe petitions that were filed were reasonably rejected according to the\nrequirements of this title and the uniform standards approved by the State Board\nfor the review of petitions. Immediately after the conclusion of the appeal\nhearing, the entity conducting the appeal shall notify the candidate and, if\napplicable, the State Board, of its decision in writing. The decision on appeal\nshall be final and not subject to further appeal.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 24-133; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-168; 1971, Ex. Sess., cc.\n119, 247; 1978, c. 778; 1980, c. 639; 1982, c. 650; 1983, c. 188; 1987, c. 118;\n1989, c. 141; 1992, c. 855; 1993, cc. 407, 641; 1998, cc. 152, 246; 2000, cc.\n232, 252; 2001, c. 53; 2003, c. 477; 2010, c. 215; 2012, cc. 166, 538; 2013, c.\n684; 2017, c. 355; 2019, c. 682; 2020, c. 501; 2024, c. 498.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}