{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-807.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-807.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-807.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-807.html"}],"law_id":72272,"edition_id":1,"section_id":72272,"structure_id":14448,"section_number":"24.2-807","catch_line":"Contest only on complaint of unsuccessful party; contents of complaint","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 24-430, 24-432; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-240; 1973, c. 30; 1981, c. 570; 1993, c. 641.","full_text":"The provisions of this section and \u00a7\u00a7 24.2-808 through 24.2-813 govern contests conducted pursuant to \u00a7\u00a7 24.2-805 and 24.2-806. The contest shall be initiated only by a written complaint of one or more of the unsuccessful candidates. The complaint shall contain (i) objections to the eligibility of the contestee based on specific allegations, (ii) objections to the conduct or results of the election accompanied by specific allegations which, if proven true, would have a probable impact on the outcome of the election, or (iii) both.\n\t\tIn an election of electors for the President and Vice President of the United States, the presidential candidate shall represent the vice presidential candidate and slate of electors and be the party to the contest for purposes of this article.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":260340,"text":"The provisions of this section and \u00a7\u00a7 24.2-808 through 24.2-813 govern contests conducted pursuant to \u00a7\u00a7 24.2-805 and 24.2-806. The contest shall be initiated only by a written complaint of one or more of the unsuccessful candidates. The complaint shall contain (i) objections to the eligibility of the contestee based on specific allegations, (ii) objections to the conduct or results of the election accompanied by specific allegations which, if proven true, would have a probable impact on the outcome of the election, or (iii) both.\n\t\tIn an election of electors for the President and Vice President of the United States, the presidential candidate shall represent the vice presidential candidate and slate of electors and be the party to the contest for purposes of this article.","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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-807\/","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 1973, chapter 30; in 1981, chapter 570; in 1993, chapter 641.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":80204,"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","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-805\/"},{"id":56547,"section_number":"24.2-806","catch_line":"Contest of other primaries and elections","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-806\/"},{"id":72167,"section_number":"24.2-808","catch_line":"Time of filing and service of complaint; enlargement or amendment of complaint","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-808\/"},{"id":80837,"section_number":"24.2-813","catch_line":"Proceedings in contest for nominee","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-813\/"}],"permalink":{"id":189003,"object_type":"law","relational_id":72272,"identifier":"24.2-807","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-807","url":"\/24.2-807\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-807\/","token":"24.2\/8\/2\/24.2-807","dublin_core":{"Title":"Contest only on complaint of unsuccessful party; contents of complaint","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-807","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The provisions of this section and \u00a7\u00a7 24.2-808<\/a> through 24.2-813<\/a> govern contests conducted pursuant to \u00a7\u00a7 24.2-805<\/a> and 24.2-806<\/a>. The contest shall be initiated only by a written complaint of one or more of the unsuccessful candidates<\/span>. The complaint shall contain (i) objections to the eligibility of the contestee based on specific allegations<\/span>, (ii) objections to the conduct or results of the election<\/span> accompanied by specific allegations<\/span> which, if proven true, would have a probable impact on the outcome of the election<\/span>, or (iii) both.\n\t\tIn an election<\/span> of electors for the President and Vice President of the United States, the presidential candidate<\/span> shall represent the vice presidential candidate<\/span> and slate of electors and be the party<\/span> to the contest for purposes of this article.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCONTEST ONLY ON COMPLAINT OF UNSUCCESSFUL PARTY; CONTENTS OF COMPLAINT (\u00a7\n24.2-807)\n\nThe provisions of this section and \u00a7\u00a7 24.2-808 through 24.2-813 govern\ncontests conducted pursuant to \u00a7\u00a7 24.2-805 and 24.2-806. The contest shall be\ninitiated only by a written complaint of one or more of the unsuccessful\ncandidates. The complaint shall contain (i) objections to the eligibility of the\ncontestee based on specific allegations, (ii) objections to the conduct or\nresults of the election accompanied by specific allegations which, if proven\ntrue, would have a probable impact on the outcome of the election, or (iii)\nboth.\n\t\tIn an election of electors for the President and Vice President of the United\nStates, the presidential candidate shall represent the vice presidential\ncandidate and slate of electors and be the party to the contest for purposes of\nthis article.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 24-430, 24-432; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-240; 1973, c. 30;\n1981, c. 570; 1993, c. 641.","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}}