{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-545.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-545.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-545.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-545.html"}],"law_id":74352,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74352,"structure_id":14917,"section_number":"24.2-545","catch_line":"Presidential primary","history":"1999, c. 972; 2000, c. 379; 2003, c. 1015; 2011, cc. 570, 584; 2013, cc. 443, 521, 550.","full_text":"A\n\nThe duly constituted authorities of the state political party shall have the right to determine the method by which the state party will select its delegates to the national convention to choose the party’s nominees for President and Vice President of the United States including a presidential primary or another method determined by the party. The state chairman shall notify the State Board of the party’s determination at least 90 days before the primary date. If the party has determined that it will hold a presidential primary, each registered voter of the Commonwealth shall be given an opportunity to participate in the presidential primary of the political party, as defined in § 24.2-101, subject to requirements determined by the political party for participation in its presidential primary. The requirements may include, but shall not be limited to, the signing of a pledge by the voter of his intention to support the party’s candidate when offering to vote in the primary. The requirements applicable to a party’s primary shall be determined at least 90 days prior to the primary date and certified to, and approved by, the State Board.B\n\nAny person seeking the nomination of the national political party for the office of President of the United States, or any group organized in the Commonwealth on behalf of, and with the consent of such person, may file with the State Board petitions signed by at least 5,000 qualified voters, including at least 200 qualified voters from each congressional district in the Commonwealth, who attest that they intend to participate in the primary of the same political party as the candidate for whom the petitions are filed. Such petitions shall be filed with the State Board by the primary filing deadline. The petitions shall be on a form prescribed by the State Board and shall be sealed in one or more containers to which is attached a written statement giving the name of the presidential candidate and the number of signatures on the petitions contained in the containers. Such person or group shall also attach a list of the names of persons who would be elected delegates and alternate delegates to the political party’s national convention if the person wins the primary and the party has determined that its delegates will be selected pursuant to the primary. The slate of delegates and alternates shall comply with the rules of the national and state party.\n\t\t\tThe State Board shall transmit the material so filed to the state chairman of the party of the candidate immediately after the primary filing deadline. The sealed containers containing the petitions for a candidate may be opened only by the state chairman of the party of the candidate. The state chairman of the party shall, by the deadline set by the State Board, furnish to the State Board the names of all candidates who have satisfied the requirements of this section. In furnishing the name of each such candidate, the state chairman shall certify that a review of the filed candidate petitions found the required minimum number of signatures of qualified voters for that office to have been met. Whenever only one candidate for a party’s nomination for President of the United States has met the requirements to have his name on the ballot, he will be declared the winner and no presidential primary for that party will be held.C\n\nThe names of all candidates in the presidential primary of each political party shall appear on the ballot in an order determined by lot by the State Board.D\n\nThe State Board shall certify the results of the presidential primary to the state chairman. If the party has determined that its delegates and alternates will be selected pursuant to the primary, the slate of delegates and alternates of the candidate receiving the most votes in the primary shall be deemed elected by the state party unless the party has determined another method for allocation of delegates and alternates. If the party has determined to use another method for selecting delegates and alternates, those delegates and alternates shall be bound to vote on the first ballot at the national convention for the candidate receiving the most votes in the primary unless that candidate releases those delegates and alternates from such vote.E\n\nThe election, or binding of votes, of delegates to a political party’s national convention for the nomination of that party’s candidates for President and Vice President of the United States through the presidential primary process shall be considered to be equivalent to a primary for the nomination of a party’s candidate.F\n\nThe cost of the presidential primary shall be paid by the Commonwealth pursuant to the provisions of the appropriation act.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":267269,"text":"The duly constituted authorities of the state political party shall have the right to determine the method by which the state party will select its delegates to the national convention to choose the party’s nominees for President and Vice President of the United States including a presidential primary or another method determined by the party. The state chairman shall notify the State Board of the party’s determination at least 90 days before the primary date. If the party has determined that it will hold a presidential primary, each registered voter of the Commonwealth shall be given an opportunity to participate in the presidential primary of the political party, as defined in § 24.2-101, subject to requirements determined by the political party for participation in its presidential primary. The requirements may include, but shall not be limited to, the signing of a pledge by the voter of his intention to support the party’s candidate when offering to vote in the primary. The requirements applicable to a party’s primary shall be determined at least 90 days prior to the primary date and certified to, and approved by, the State Board.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":267270,"text":"Any person seeking the nomination of the national political party for the office of President of the United States, or any group organized in the Commonwealth on behalf of, and with the consent of such person, may file with the State Board petitions signed by at least 5,000 qualified voters, including at least 200 qualified voters from each congressional district in the Commonwealth, who attest that they intend to participate in the primary of the same political party as the candidate for whom the petitions are filed. Such petitions shall be filed with the State Board by the primary filing deadline. The petitions shall be on a form prescribed by the State Board and shall be sealed in one or more containers to which is attached a written statement giving the name of the presidential candidate and the number of signatures on the petitions contained in the containers. Such person or group shall also attach a list of the names of persons who would be elected delegates and alternate delegates to the political party’s national convention if the person wins the primary and the party has determined that its delegates will be selected pursuant to the primary. The slate of delegates and alternates shall comply with the rules of the national and state party.\n\t\t\tThe State Board shall transmit the material so filed to the state chairman of the party of the candidate immediately after the primary filing deadline. The sealed containers containing the petitions for a candidate may be opened only by the state chairman of the party of the candidate. The state chairman of the party shall, by the deadline set by the State Board, furnish to the State Board the names of all candidates who have satisfied the requirements of this section. In furnishing the name of each such candidate, the state chairman shall certify that a review of the filed candidate petitions found the required minimum number of signatures of qualified voters for that office to have been met. Whenever only one candidate for a party’s nomination for President of the United States has met the requirements to have his name on the ballot, he will be declared the winner and no presidential primary for that party will be held.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":267271,"text":"The names of all candidates in the presidential primary of each political party shall appear on the ballot in an order determined by lot by the State Board.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":267272,"text":"The State Board shall certify the results of the presidential primary to the state chairman. If the party has determined that its delegates and alternates will be selected pursuant to the primary, the slate of delegates and alternates of the candidate receiving the most votes in the primary shall be deemed elected by the state party unless the party has determined another method for allocation of delegates and alternates. If the party has determined to use another method for selecting delegates and alternates, those delegates and alternates shall be bound to vote on the first ballot at the national convention for the candidate receiving the most votes in the primary unless that candidate releases those delegates and alternates from such vote.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":267273,"text":"The election, or binding of votes, of delegates to a political party’s national convention for the nomination of that party’s candidates for President and Vice President of the United States through the presidential primary process shall be considered to be equivalent to a primary for the nomination of a party’s candidate.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":267274,"text":"The cost of the presidential primary shall be paid by the Commonwealth pursuant to the provisions of the appropriation act.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14917,"edition_id":1,"name":"Presidential Year Primaries","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13313,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:46","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:46","permalink":{"id":188385,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14917,"identifier":"7","token":"24.2\/5\/7","url":"\/24.2\/5\/7\/","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":56932,"structure_id":14917,"section_number":"24.2-544","catch_line":"Time presidential primaries to be held and completion of duties by officers of election; age qualifications for participation","url":"\/24.2-544\/","token":"24.2\/5\/7\/24.2-544","metadata":false},{"id":74352,"structure_id":14917,"section_number":"24.2-545","catch_line":"Presidential primary","url":"\/24.2-545\/","token":"24.2\/5\/7\/24.2-545","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":56932,"structure_id":14917,"section_number":"24.2-544","catch_line":"Time presidential primaries to be held and completion of duties by officers of election; age qualifications for participation","url":"\/24.2-544\/","token":"24.2\/5\/7\/24.2-544","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-545\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1999. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 972<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 4 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 2000, chapter 379<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 1015<\/a>; in 2011, chapters 570<\/a> and 584<\/a>; in 2013, chapters 443<\/a>, 521<\/a>, and 550<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"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\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":61543,"section_number":"24.2-101","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-101\/"}],"permalink":{"id":188391,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74352,"identifier":"24.2-545","token":"24.2\/5\/7\/24.2-545","url":"\/24.2-545\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-545\/","token":"24.2\/5\/7\/24.2-545","dublin_core":{"Title":"Presidential primary","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-545","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The duly constituted authorities of the state political party<\/span> shall have the right to determine the method by which the state party will select its delegates to the national convention to choose the party’s nominees for President and Vice President of the United States including a presidential primary<\/span> or another method determined by the party. The state chairman shall notify the State Board<\/span> of the party’s determination at least 90 days before the primary<\/span> date. If the party has determined that it will hold a presidential primary<\/span>, each registered voter<\/span> of the Commonwealth shall be given an opportunity to participate in the presidential primary<\/span> of the political party<\/span>, as defined in § 24.2-101<\/a>, subject to requirements determined by the political party<\/span> for participation in its presidential primary<\/span>. The requirements may include, but shall not be limited to, the signing of a pledge by the voter of his intention to support the party’s candidate<\/span> when offering to vote in the primary<\/span>. The requirements applicable to a party’s primary<\/span> shall be determined at least 90 days prior to the primary<\/span> date and certified to, and approved by, the State Board<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any person seeking the nomination of the national political party<\/span> for the office of President of the United States, or any group organized in the Commonwealth on behalf of, and with the consent of such person, may file with the State Board<\/span> petitions<\/span> signed by at least 5,000 qualified voters<\/span>, including at least 200 qualified voters<\/span> from each congressional district in the Commonwealth, who attest that they intend to participate in the primary<\/span> of the same political party<\/span> as the candidate<\/span> for whom the petitions<\/span> are filed. Such petitions<\/span> shall be filed with the State Board<\/span> by the primary<\/span> filing deadline. The petitions<\/span> shall be on a form prescribed by the State Board<\/span> and shall be sealed<\/span> in one or more containers to which is attached a written statement giving the name of the presidential candidate<\/span> and the number of signatures on the petitions<\/span> contained in the containers. Such person or group shall also attach a list of the names of persons who would be elected delegates and alternate delegates to the political party<\/span>’s national convention if the person wins the primary<\/span> and the party has determined that its delegates will be selected pursuant to the primary<\/span>. The slate of delegates and alternates shall comply with the rules of the national and state party.\n\t\t\tThe State Board<\/span> shall transmit the material<\/span> so filed to the state chairman of the party of the candidate<\/span> immediately after the primary<\/span> filing deadline. The sealed<\/span> containers containing the petitions<\/span> for a candidate<\/span> may be opened only by the state chairman of the party of the candidate<\/span>. The state chairman of the party shall, by the deadline set by the State Board<\/span>, furnish to the State Board<\/span> the names of all candidates<\/span> who have satisfied the requirements of this section. In furnishing the name of each such candidate<\/span>, the state chairman shall certify that a review of the filed candidate<\/span> petitions<\/span> found the required minimum number of signatures of qualified voters<\/span> for that office to have been met. Whenever only one candidate<\/span> for a party’s nomination for President of the United States has met the requirements to have his name on the ballot, he will be declared the winner and no presidential primary<\/span> for that party will be held. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The names of all candidates<\/span> in the presidential primary<\/span> of each political party<\/span> shall appear on the ballot in an order<\/span> determined by lot by the State Board<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The State Board<\/span> shall certify the results of the presidential primary<\/span> to the state chairman. If the party has determined that its delegates and alternates will be selected pursuant to the primary<\/span>, the slate of delegates and alternates of the candidate<\/span> receiving the most votes in the primary<\/span> shall be deemed elected by the state party unless the party has determined another method for allocation of delegates and alternates. If the party has determined to use another method for selecting delegates and alternates, those delegates and alternates shall be bound to vote on the first ballot at the national convention for the candidate<\/span> receiving the most votes in the primary<\/span> unless that candidate<\/span> releases those delegates and alternates from such vote. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> The election<\/span>, or binding of votes, of delegates to a political party<\/span>’s national convention for the nomination of that party’s candidates<\/span> for President and Vice President of the United States through the presidential primary<\/span> process shall be considered to be equivalent to a primary<\/span> for the nomination of a party’s candidate<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> The cost of the presidential primary<\/span> shall be paid by the Commonwealth pursuant to the provisions of the appropriation act. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (\u00a7 24.2-545)\n\nA. The duly constituted authorities of the state political party shall have the\nright to determine the method by which the state party will select its delegates\nto the national convention to choose the party’s nominees for President\nand Vice President of the United States including a presidential primary or\nanother method determined by the party. The state chairman shall notify the\nState Board of the party’s determination at least 90 days before the\nprimary date. If the party has determined that it will hold a presidential\nprimary, each registered voter of the Commonwealth shall be given an opportunity\nto participate in the presidential primary of the political party, as defined in\n§ 24.2-101, subject to requirements determined by the political party for\nparticipation in its presidential primary. The requirements may include, but\nshall not be limited to, the signing of a pledge by the voter of his intention\nto support the party’s candidate when offering to vote in the primary. The\nrequirements applicable to a party’s primary shall be determined at least\n90 days prior to the primary date and certified to, and approved by, the State\nBoard.\n\nB. Any person seeking the nomination of the national political party for the\noffice of President of the United States, or any group organized in the\nCommonwealth on behalf of, and with the consent of such person, may file with\nthe State Board petitions signed by at least 5,000 qualified voters, including\nat least 200 qualified voters from each congressional district in the\nCommonwealth, who attest that they intend to participate in the primary of the\nsame political party as the candidate for whom the petitions are filed. Such\npetitions shall be filed with the State Board by the primary filing deadline.\nThe petitions shall be on a form prescribed by the State Board and shall be\nsealed in one or more containers to which is attached a written statement giving\nthe name of the presidential candidate and the number of signatures on the\npetitions contained in the containers. Such person or group shall also attach a\nlist of the names of persons who would be elected delegates and alternate\ndelegates to the political party’s national convention if the person wins\nthe primary and the party has determined that its delegates will be selected\npursuant to the primary. The slate of delegates and alternates shall comply with\nthe rules of the national and state party.\n\t\t\tThe State Board shall transmit the material so filed to the state chairman of\nthe party of the candidate immediately after the primary filing deadline. The\nsealed containers containing the petitions for a candidate may be opened only by\nthe state chairman of the party of the candidate. The state chairman of the\nparty shall, by the deadline set by the State Board, furnish to the State Board\nthe names of all candidates who have satisfied the requirements of this section.\nIn furnishing the name of each such candidate, the state chairman shall certify\nthat a review of the filed candidate petitions found the required minimum number\nof signatures of qualified voters for that office to have been met. Whenever\nonly one candidate for a party’s nomination for President of the United\nStates has met the requirements to have his name on the ballot, he will be\ndeclared the winner and no presidential primary for that party will be held.\n\nC. The names of all candidates in the presidential primary of each political\nparty shall appear on the ballot in an order determined by lot by the State\nBoard.\n\nD. The State Board shall certify the results of the presidential primary to the\nstate chairman. If the party has determined that its delegates and alternates\nwill be selected pursuant to the primary, the slate of delegates and alternates\nof the candidate receiving the most votes in the primary shall be deemed elected\nby the state party unless the party has determined another method for allocation\nof delegates and alternates. If the party has determined to use another method\nfor selecting delegates and alternates, those delegates and alternates shall be\nbound to vote on the first ballot at the national convention for the candidate\nreceiving the most votes in the primary unless that candidate releases those\ndelegates and alternates from such vote.\n\nE. The election, or binding of votes, of delegates to a political party’s\nnational convention for the nomination of that party’s candidates for\nPresident and Vice President of the United States through the presidential\nprimary process shall be considered to be equivalent to a primary for the\nnomination of a party’s candidate.\n\nF. The cost of the presidential primary shall be paid by the Commonwealth\npursuant to the provisions of the appropriation act.\n\nHISTORY: 1999, c. 972; 2000, c. 379; 2003, c. 1015; 2011, cc. 570, 584; 2013,\ncc. 443, 521, 550.","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}}