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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55567</law_id><section_number>24.2-104.1</section_number><catch_line>Civil actions by Attorney General</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>24.2-131</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="24.2">Elections</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions and Administration</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">State Board of Elections</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Whenever the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> has reasonable cause to believe that a violation of an <span class="dictionary">election</span> <span class="dictionary">law</span> has occurred and that the rights of any voter or group of voters have been affected by such violation, the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> may commence a <span class="dictionary">civil action</span> in the appropriate <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for appropriate relief. <a id="paragraph-203650" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-104.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> In such <span class="dictionary">civil action</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may: <a id="paragraph-203651" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-104.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Award such preventive relief, including a permanent or temporary <span class="dictionary">injunction</span>, restraining <span class="dictionary">order</span>, or other <span class="dictionary">order</span> against the person responsible for a violation of this title, as is necessary to assure the full enjoyment of the rights granted by this title. <a id="paragraph-203652" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-104.1/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Assess a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> against the respondent (i) in an amount not exceeding $50,000 for a first violation and (ii) in an amount not exceeding $100,000 for any subsequent violation. Such civil penalties are payable to the Voter Education and Outreach Fund established pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Voter Education and Outreach Fund" href="/24.2-131/">24.2-131</a>. <a id="paragraph-203653" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-104.1/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Award a prevailing <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> reasonable attorney fees and costs. <a id="paragraph-203654" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-104.1/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">jury</span> may award such other relief to the aggrieved person as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> deems appropriate, including compensatory <span class="dictionary">damages</span> and punitive <span class="dictionary">damages</span>. <a id="paragraph-203655" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-104.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 528, 533.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
