{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-684.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-684.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-684.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-684.1.html"}],"law_id":61714,"edition_id":1,"section_id":61714,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-684.1","catch_line":"Requirements for voter petitions to call for referendum elections","history":"1993, c. 996, \u00a7 24.1-165.3; 1993, c. 641; 2000, cc. 232, 252; 2011, cc. 333, 520.","full_text":"In addition to other applicable requirements of law, the following requirements shall apply whenever a referendum election is initiated by voter petitions. The requirements of this section shall be construed to override any requirement of general or special law in conflict with this section, except requirements set out in charter provisions to govern the exercise of recall, initiative, or referendum powers in a county, city, or town.\n\t\tThe requirements of this section shall apply to petitions calling for any referendum which is ordered to be held on or after January 1, 1994.\n\n1\n\nPrior to circulating any petition for signature, an individual shall file a copy of the petition with the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city in which the referendum will be held. The individual shall be a qualified voter of the county or city and shall file, with the petition copy, a statement giving his name; residence address and, if different, his mailing address; and the name of the organization, if any, which he represents in circulating the petition. The copy of the petition shall be filed on or after the effective date of the law which authorizes the referendum for which the petition will be circulated. The clerk shall certify, within 10 days of such filing, that he has received and accepted the petition copy and statement.2\n\nIf the referendum will be held only in a town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court for the county in which the town, or larger portion of the town, is located, and the individual shall be a qualified voter of the town. If the referendum will be held only in part of a county, city, or town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the appropriate circuit court, and the individual shall be a qualified voter of the part of the county, city, or town in which the referendum will be held. If the referendum will be held in more than one county, city, or town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court of any one of the localities in which the referendum will be held, and the individual shall be a qualified voter of that locality.3\n\nEach qualified voter signing a petition shall date his signature.4\n\nEach such voter 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.5\n\nEach signature on the petition shall be witnessed by a person who is qualified to vote, or qualified to register to vote, in the referendum for which he is circulating the petition and whose affidavit to that effect, including his name, residence address and, if different, his mailing address, and the name of the organization, if any, that he represents in circulating the petition, appears on each page, front and back, of the petition.6\n\nThe petition shall be circulated, completed, and filed with the appropriate court or authority within nine months of the date of the certification by the clerk of the circuit court pursuant to subdivision 1.7\n\nEach qualified voter signing the petition shall have been validly registered in the jurisdiction for which the petition is circulated at the time of signing the petition and at the time of validating the petition signatures.8\n\nThe number of voters registered on January 1 of the year of the certification by the clerk of the circuit court pursuant to subdivision 1 shall be the basis for determining the number of signatures required on the petition in all cases in which the law authorizing the referendum provides that the number of signatures required for the petition is a percentage of the number of registered voters.9\n\nIf the court or authority finds that the filed petitions are valid and sufficient under law, it shall proceed, as provided by law, to order or call for the referendum election. If the court or authority finds that the filed petitions are invalid for any cause, the petitions and the signatures on them shall be invalid for all purposes. The invalidity of one or more signatures on a petition page shall not be cause to invalidate the entire petition page. If the circulators of the petitions fail to file within the nine-month period provided in subdivision 6, the petitions and the signatures on them shall be invalid for all purposes.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":225338,"text":"In addition to other applicable requirements of law, the following requirements shall apply whenever a referendum election is initiated by voter petitions. The requirements of this section shall be construed to override any requirement of general or special law in conflict with this section, except requirements set out in charter provisions to govern the exercise of recall, initiative, or referendum powers in a county, city, or town.\n\t\tThe requirements of this section shall apply to petitions calling for any referendum which is ordered to be held on or after January 1, 1994.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":225339,"text":"Prior to circulating any petition for signature, an individual shall file a copy of the petition with the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city in which the referendum will be held. The individual shall be a qualified voter of the county or city and shall file, with the petition copy, a statement giving his name; residence address and, if different, his mailing address; and the name of the organization, if any, which he represents in circulating the petition. The copy of the petition shall be filed on or after the effective date of the law which authorizes the referendum for which the petition will be circulated. The clerk shall certify, within 10 days of such filing, that he has received and accepted the petition copy and statement.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":225340,"text":"If the referendum will be held only in a town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court for the county in which the town, or larger portion of the town, is located, and the individual shall be a qualified voter of the town. If the referendum will be held only in part of a county, city, or town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the appropriate circuit court, and the individual shall be a qualified voter of the part of the county, city, or town in which the referendum will be held. If the referendum will be held in more than one county, city, or town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court of any one of the localities in which the referendum will be held, and the individual shall be a qualified voter of that locality.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":225341,"text":"Each qualified voter signing a petition shall date his signature.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":225342,"text":"Each such voter 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.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":225343,"text":"Each signature on the petition shall be witnessed by a person who is qualified to vote, or qualified to register to vote, in the referendum for which he is circulating the petition and whose affidavit to that effect, including his name, residence address and, if different, his mailing address, and the name of the organization, if any, that he represents in circulating the petition, appears on each page, front and back, of the petition.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4","next_prefix":"6"},"6":{"id":225344,"text":"The petition shall be circulated, completed, and filed with the appropriate court or authority within nine months of the date of the certification by the clerk of the circuit court pursuant to subdivision 1.","type":"section","prefixes":["6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"6","prefix_anchor":"6","level":1,"prior_prefix":"5","next_prefix":"7"},"7":{"id":225345,"text":"Each qualified voter signing the petition shall have been validly registered in the jurisdiction for which the petition is circulated at the time of signing the petition and at the time of validating the petition signatures.","type":"section","prefixes":["7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"7","prefix_anchor":"7","level":1,"prior_prefix":"6","next_prefix":"8"},"8":{"id":225346,"text":"The number of voters registered on January 1 of the year of the certification by the clerk of the circuit court pursuant to subdivision 1 shall be the basis for determining the number of signatures required on the petition in all cases in which the law authorizing the referendum provides that the number of signatures required for the petition is a percentage of the number of registered voters.","type":"section","prefixes":["8"],"prefix":"8","entire_prefix":"8","prefix_anchor":"8","level":1,"prior_prefix":"7","next_prefix":"9"},"9":{"id":225347,"text":"If the court or authority finds that the filed petitions are valid and sufficient under law, it shall proceed, as provided by law, to order or call for the referendum election. If the court or authority finds that the filed petitions are invalid for any cause, the petitions and the signatures on them shall be invalid for all purposes. The invalidity of one or more signatures on a petition page shall not be cause to invalidate the entire petition page. If the circulators of the petitions fail to file within the nine-month period provided in subdivision 6, the petitions and the signatures on them shall be invalid for all purposes.","type":"section","prefixes":["9"],"prefix":"9","entire_prefix":"9","prefix_anchor":"9","level":1,"prior_prefix":"8"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15255,"edition_id":1,"name":"Special Elections","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13022,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:23","permalink":{"id":188821,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15255,"identifier":"5","token":"24.2\/6\/5","url":"\/24.2\/6\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13022,"edition_id":1,"name":"The Election","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12937,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:09","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:09","permalink":{"id":188395,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13022,"identifier":"6","token":"24.2\/6","url":"\/24.2\/6\/","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":58078,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-681","catch_line":"How special elections superintended and determined","url":"\/24.2-681\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-681","metadata":false},{"id":77612,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-682","catch_line":"Times for special elections","url":"\/24.2-682\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-682","metadata":false},{"id":62176,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-683","catch_line":"Writ for special election to fill a vacancy","url":"\/24.2-683\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-683","metadata":false},{"id":82479,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-684","catch_line":"How referendum elections called and held, and the results ascertained and certified","url":"\/24.2-684\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-684","metadata":false},{"id":61714,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-684.1","catch_line":"Requirements for voter petitions to call for referendum elections","url":"\/24.2-684.1\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-684.1","metadata":false},{"id":86439,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-685","catch_line":"Special elections; request for abolition of constitutional offices","url":"\/24.2-685\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-685","metadata":false},{"id":67928,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-686","catch_line":"Special elections; petition and referendum requirements; abolition of constitutional office by change in form of government","url":"\/24.2-686\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-686","metadata":false},{"id":73402,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-687","catch_line":"Authorization for distribution of information on referendum elections","url":"\/24.2-687\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-687","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":82479,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-684","catch_line":"How referendum elections called and held, and the results ascertained and certified","url":"\/24.2-684\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-684","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":86439,"structure_id":15255,"section_number":"24.2-685","catch_line":"Special elections; request for abolition of constitutional offices","url":"\/24.2-685\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-685","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-684.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1993. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 996 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. Unfortunately, the 1993 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 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 1993, chapter 641; in 2000, chapters 232<\/a> and 252<\/a>; in 2011, chapters 333<\/a> and 520<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":58543,"section_number":"59.1-391","catch_line":"Local referendum required","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-391\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":188839,"object_type":"law","relational_id":61714,"identifier":"24.2-684.1","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-684.1","url":"\/24.2-684.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-684.1\/","token":"24.2\/6\/5\/24.2-684.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Requirements for voter petitions to call for referendum elections","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-684.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In addition to other applicable requirements of law<\/span>, the following requirements shall apply whenever a referendum<\/span> election<\/span> is initiated by voter petitions<\/span>. The requirements of this section shall be construed to override any requirement of general or special law<\/span> in conflict with this section, except requirements set out in charter provisions to govern the exercise of recall, initiative, or referendum<\/span> powers in a county, city, or town.\n\t\tThe requirements of this section shall apply to petitions<\/span> calling for any referendum<\/span> which is ordered to be held on or after January 1, 1994.<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Prior to circulating any petition<\/span> for signature, an individual shall file a copy of the petition<\/span> with the clerk of the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> for the county or city in which the referendum<\/span> will be held. The individual shall be a qualified voter<\/span> of the county or city and shall file, with the petition<\/span> copy, a statement giving his name; residence<\/span> address and, if different, his mailing address; and the name of the organization, if any, which he represents in circulating the petition<\/span>. The copy of the petition<\/span> shall be filed on or after the effective date of the law<\/span> which authorizes the referendum<\/span> for which the petition<\/span> will be circulated. The clerk shall certify, within 10 days of such filing, that he has received and accepted the petition<\/span> copy and statement. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> If the referendum<\/span> will be held only in a town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> for the county in which the town, or larger portion of the town, is located, and the individual shall be a qualified voter<\/span> of the town. If the referendum<\/span> will be held only in part of a county, city, or town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the appropriate circuit<\/span> court<\/span>, and the individual shall be a qualified voter<\/span> of the part of the county, city, or town in which the referendum<\/span> will be held. If the referendum<\/span> will be held in more than one county, city, or town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of any one of the localities in which the referendum<\/span> will be held, and the individual shall be a qualified voter<\/span> of that locality. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Each qualified voter<\/span> signing a petition<\/span> shall date his signature. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Each such voter 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>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Each signature on the petition<\/span> shall be witnessed by a person who is qualified to vote, or qualified to register to vote, in the referendum<\/span> for which he is circulating the petition<\/span> and whose affidavit<\/span> to that effect, including his name, residence<\/span> address and, if different, his mailing address, and the name of the organization, if any, that he represents in circulating the petition<\/span>, appears on each page, front and back, of the petition<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> The petition<\/span> shall be circulated, completed, and filed with the appropriate court<\/span> or authority within nine months of the date of the certification by the clerk of the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> pursuant to subdivision 1. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> Each qualified voter<\/span> signing the petition<\/span> shall have been validly registered in the jurisdiction<\/span> for which the petition<\/span> is circulated at the time of signing the petition<\/span> and at the time of validating the petition<\/span> signatures. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

8.<\/span> The number of voters registered on January 1 of the year of the certification by the clerk of the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> pursuant to subdivision 1 shall be the basis for determining the number of signatures required on the petition<\/span> in all cases in which the law<\/span> authorizing the referendum<\/span> provides that the number of signatures required for the petition<\/span> is a percentage of the number of registered voters<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

9.<\/span> If the court<\/span> or authority finds that the filed petitions<\/span> are valid and sufficient under law<\/span>, it shall proceed, as provided by law<\/span>, to order<\/span> or call for the referendum<\/span> election<\/span>. If the court<\/span> or authority finds that the filed petitions<\/span> are invalid for any cause, the petitions<\/span> and the signatures on them shall be invalid for all purposes. The invalidity of one or more signatures on a petition<\/span> page shall not be cause to invalidate the entire petition<\/span> page. If the circulators of the petitions<\/span> fail to file within the nine-month period provided in subdivision 6, the petitions<\/span> and the signatures on them shall be invalid for all purposes. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nREQUIREMENTS FOR VOTER PETITIONS TO CALL FOR REFERENDUM ELECTIONS (\u00a7\n24.2-684.1)\n\nIn addition to other applicable requirements of law, the following requirements\nshall apply whenever a referendum election is initiated by voter petitions. The\nrequirements of this section shall be construed to override any requirement of\ngeneral or special law in conflict with this section, except requirements set\nout in charter provisions to govern the exercise of recall, initiative, or\nreferendum powers in a county, city, or town.\n\t\tThe requirements of this section shall apply to petitions calling for any\nreferendum which is ordered to be held on or after January 1, 1994.\n\n1. Prior to circulating any petition for signature, an individual shall file a\ncopy of the petition with the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city\nin which the referendum will be held. The individual shall be a qualified voter\nof the county or city and shall file, with the petition copy, a statement giving\nhis name; residence address and, if different, his mailing address; and the name\nof the organization, if any, which he represents in circulating the petition.\nThe copy of the petition shall be filed on or after the effective date of the\nlaw which authorizes the referendum for which the petition will be circulated.\nThe clerk shall certify, within 10 days of such filing, that he has received and\naccepted the petition copy and statement.\n\n2. If the referendum will be held only in a town, the copy and statement shall\nbe filed with the clerk of the circuit court for the county in which the town,\nor larger portion of the town, is located, and the individual shall be a\nqualified voter of the town. If the referendum will be held only in part of a\ncounty, city, or town, the copy and statement shall be filed with the clerk of\nthe appropriate circuit court, and the individual shall be a qualified voter of\nthe part of the county, city, or town in which the referendum will be held. If\nthe referendum will be held in more than one county, city, or town, the copy and\nstatement shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court of any one of the\nlocalities in which the referendum will be held, and the individual shall be a\nqualified voter of that locality.\n\n3. Each qualified voter signing a petition shall date his signature.\n\n4. Each such voter may provide on the petition the last four digits of his\nsocial security number, if any; however, noncompliance with this requirement\nshall not be cause to invalidate the voter’s signature on the petition.\n\n5. Each signature on the petition shall be witnessed by a person who is\nqualified to vote, or qualified to register to vote, in the referendum for which\nhe is circulating the petition and whose affidavit to that effect, including his\nname, residence address and, if different, his mailing address, and the name of\nthe organization, if any, that he represents in circulating the petition,\nappears on each page, front and back, of the petition.\n\n6. The petition shall be circulated, completed, and filed with the appropriate\ncourt or authority within nine months of the date of the certification by the\nclerk of the circuit court pursuant to subdivision 1.\n\n7. Each qualified voter signing the petition shall have been validly registered\nin the jurisdiction for which the petition is circulated at the time of signing\nthe petition and at the time of validating the petition signatures.\n\n8. The number of voters registered on January 1 of the year of the certification\nby the clerk of the circuit court pursuant to subdivision 1 shall be the basis\nfor determining the number of signatures required on the petition in all cases\nin which the law authorizing the referendum provides that the number of\nsignatures required for the petition is a percentage of the number of registered\nvoters.\n\n9. If the court or authority finds that the filed petitions are valid and\nsufficient under law, it shall proceed, as provided by law, to order or call for\nthe referendum election. If the court or authority finds that the filed\npetitions are invalid for any cause, the petitions and the signatures on them\nshall be invalid for all purposes. The invalidity of one or more signatures on a\npetition page shall not be cause to invalidate the entire petition page. If the\ncirculators of the petitions fail to file within the nine-month period provided\nin subdivision 6, the petitions and the signatures on them shall be invalid for\nall purposes.\n\nHISTORY: 1993, c. 996, \u00a7 24.1-165.3; 1993, c. 641; 2000, cc. 232, 252; 2011,\ncc. 333, 520.","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}}