{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-804.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-804.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-804.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-804.html"}],"law_id":64477,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64477,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-804","catch_line":"Contest of elections of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 24-427 through 24-429; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-237; 1981, c. 570; 1993, c. 641; 2006, c. 292.","full_text":"In any election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General, notice of the intent to contest the election shall be filed with the Clerk of the House of Delegates as prescribed in \u00a7 24.2-803. The provisions of \u00a7 24.2-803 shall govern standing, notice of intent to contest, answers, service of process, evidence, the petition, procedures, relief, and assessed costs except (i) that in a contest of an election held at the November general election the petition shall be filed within two days following the commencement of a special session of the General Assembly called for the purpose of hearing the contest or of the next regular session of the General Assembly, whichever first occurs, and (ii) that the final determination shall be made by the General Assembly, both houses sitting in joint session in the hall of the House of Delegates, with the Speaker of the House of Delegates presiding.\n\t\tAt the time of filing the notice, the contestant shall post a bond with surety with the Clerk of the House of Delegates in the amount of $10 per precinct in the Commonwealth. If the contestant wins the contest, the bond shall not be forfeited. If the contestant loses the contest, the bond shall be forfeited and costs assessed as provided in subsections B and H of \u00a7 24.2-803.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":234632,"text":"In any election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General, notice of the intent to contest the election shall be filed with the Clerk of the House of Delegates as prescribed in \u00a7 24.2-803. The provisions of \u00a7 24.2-803 shall govern standing, notice of intent to contest, answers, service of process, evidence, the petition, procedures, relief, and assessed costs except (i) that in a contest of an election held at the November general election the petition shall be filed within two days following the commencement of a special session of the General Assembly called for the purpose of hearing the contest or of the next regular session of the General Assembly, whichever first occurs, and (ii) that the final determination shall be made by the General Assembly, both houses sitting in joint session in the hall of the House of Delegates, with the Speaker of the House of Delegates presiding.\n\t\tAt the time of filing the notice, the contestant shall post a bond with surety with the Clerk of the House of Delegates in the amount of $10 per precinct in the Commonwealth. If the contestant wins the contest, the bond shall not be forfeited. If the contestant loses the contest, the bond shall be forfeited and costs assessed as provided in subsections B and H of \u00a7 24.2-803.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14448,"edition_id":1,"name":"Contested Elections","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14447,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:10","permalink":{"id":188985,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14448,"identifier":"2","token":"24.2\/8\/2","url":"\/24.2\/8\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14447,"edition_id":1,"name":"Recounts and Contested Elections","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12937,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:10","permalink":{"id":188953,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14447,"identifier":"8","token":"24.2\/8","url":"\/24.2\/8\/","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":68390,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-803","catch_line":"Contest of election to General Assembly","url":"\/24.2-803\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-803","metadata":false},{"id":64477,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-804","catch_line":"Contest of elections of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General","url":"\/24.2-804\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-804","metadata":false},{"id":80204,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-805","catch_line":"Contest of elections of electors for President and Vice President or primaries for United States Senate or statewide office","url":"\/24.2-805\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-805","metadata":false},{"id":56547,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-806","catch_line":"Contest of other primaries and elections","url":"\/24.2-806\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-806","metadata":false},{"id":72272,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-807","catch_line":"Contest only on complaint of unsuccessful party; contents of complaint","url":"\/24.2-807\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-807","metadata":false},{"id":72167,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-808","catch_line":"Time of filing and service of complaint; enlargement or amendment of complaint","url":"\/24.2-808\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-808","metadata":false},{"id":63714,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-809","catch_line":"Filing answer; contents; enlargement or amendment of answer","url":"\/24.2-809\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-809","metadata":false},{"id":85321,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-810","catch_line":"Taking depositions and deciding contests","url":"\/24.2-810\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-810","metadata":false},{"id":55821,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-811","catch_line":"Costs and issuance of certificate of election","url":"\/24.2-811\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-811","metadata":false},{"id":79701,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-812","catch_line":"Proceedings when court decides no valid election has been held","url":"\/24.2-812\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-812","metadata":false},{"id":80837,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-813","catch_line":"Proceedings in contest for nominee","url":"\/24.2-813\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-813","metadata":false},{"id":78511,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-814","catch_line":"Contest following recount","url":"\/24.2-814\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-814","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":68390,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-803","catch_line":"Contest of election to General Assembly","url":"\/24.2-803\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-803","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":80204,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-805","catch_line":"Contest of elections of electors for President and Vice President or primaries for United States Senate or statewide office","url":"\/24.2-805\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-805","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-804\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. 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 1970, chapter 462; in 1981, chapter 570; in 1993, chapter 641; in 2006, chapter 292<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":78511,"section_number":"24.2-814","catch_line":"Contest following recount","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-814\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":68390,"section_number":"24.2-803","catch_line":"Contest of election to General Assembly","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-803\/"}],"permalink":{"id":188991,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64477,"identifier":"24.2-804","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-804","url":"\/24.2-804\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-804\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-804","dublin_core":{"Title":"Contest of elections of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-804","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In any election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General<\/span>, notice of the intent<\/span> to contest the election shall be filed with the Clerk of the House of Delegates as prescribed in \u00a7 24.2-803<\/a>. The provisions of \u00a7 24.2-803<\/a> shall govern standing, notice of intent<\/span> to contest, answers, service of process<\/span>, evidence<\/span>, the petition<\/span>, procedures, relief, and assessed costs except (i) that in a contest of an election held at the November general election<\/span> the petition<\/span> shall be filed within two days following the commencement of a special session of the General Assembly called for the purpose of hearing<\/span> the contest or of the next regular session of the General Assembly, whichever first occurs, and (ii) that the final determination shall be made by the General Assembly, both houses sitting in joint session in the hall of the House of Delegates, with the Speaker of the House of Delegates presiding.\n\t\tAt the time of filing the notice, the contestant shall post a bond<\/span> with surety<\/span> with the Clerk of the House of Delegates in the amount of $10 per precinct<\/span> in the Commonwealth. If the contestant wins the contest, the bond<\/span> shall not be forfeited. If the contestant loses the contest, the bond<\/span> shall be forfeited and costs assessed as provided in subsections B and H of \u00a7 24.2-803<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONTEST OF ELECTIONS OF GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND ATTORNEY GENERAL (\u00a7\n24.2-804)\n\nIn any election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General, notice\nof the intent to contest the election shall be filed with the Clerk of the House\nof Delegates as prescribed in \u00a7 24.2-803. The provisions of \u00a7 24.2-803 shall\ngovern standing, notice of intent to contest, answers, service of process,\nevidence, the petition, procedures, relief, and assessed costs except (i) that\nin a contest of an election held at the November general election the petition\nshall be filed within two days following the commencement of a special session\nof the General Assembly called for the purpose of hearing the contest or of the\nnext regular session of the General Assembly, whichever first occurs, and (ii)\nthat the final determination shall be made by the General Assembly, both houses\nsitting in joint session in the hall of the House of Delegates, with the Speaker\nof the House of Delegates presiding.\n\t\tAt the time of filing the notice, the contestant shall post a bond with surety\nwith the Clerk of the House of Delegates in the amount of $10 per precinct in\nthe Commonwealth. If the contestant wins the contest, the bond shall not be\nforfeited. If the contestant loses the contest, the bond shall be forfeited and\ncosts assessed as provided in subsections B and H of \u00a7 24.2-803.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 24-427 through 24-429; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-237; 1981,\nc. 570; 1993, c. 641; 2006, c. 292.","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}}