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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>56801</law_id><section_number>24.2-505</section_number><catch_line>Declaration of candidacy required of independent candidates</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>10.1-523</reference><reference>24.2-313</reference><reference>24.2-540</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="5">Candidates for Office</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Independent Candidates</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any person, other than a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for a <span class="dictionary">party</span> nomination or a <span class="dictionary">party</span> nominee, who intends to be a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for any office to be elected by the <span class="dictionary">qualified voters</span> of the Commonwealth at large or of a congressional district shall file a declaration of candidacy with the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span>, on a form prescribed by the Board, designating the office for which he is a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>. The written declaration shall be attested by two witnesses who are <span class="dictionary">qualified voters</span> of the Commonwealth or of the congressional district, or acknowledged before some officer authorized to take acknowledgements to deeds. The declaration shall be signed by the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>, but if he is incapable of writing his proper signature then some mark adopted by him as his signature shall be acknowledged before some officer authorized to take acknowledgments to deeds.
			The <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> shall notify the respective secretaries of the appropriate <span class="dictionary">electoral boards</span> of the qualified <span class="dictionary">candidates</span> who have so filed. <a id="paragraph-208035" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-505/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person, other than a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for a <span class="dictionary">party</span> nomination or <span class="dictionary">party</span> nominee, who intends to be a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for <span class="dictionary">election</span> to the General Assembly shall file a declaration of candidacy with the <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> of the county or city where he resides. The declaration shall be in all respects the same as that required to be given to the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> by statewide and congressional district <span class="dictionary">candidates</span>. The <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall, within three days after receiving the declaration, (i) deliver it in person or transmit it by certified mail, along with the <span class="dictionary">petitions</span> required by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Petition of qualified voters required; number of signatures required; certain towns excepted" href="/24.2-506/">24.2-506</a> or copies thereof, to the <span class="dictionary">general registrars</span> of the other counties or cities, if any, in the legislative district for delivery to the secretaries of the <span class="dictionary">electoral boards</span> and (ii) deliver the declaration and such <span class="dictionary">petitions</span> to the secretary of his <span class="dictionary">electoral board</span>. He shall transmit the names of the <span class="dictionary">candidates</span> who have filed with him to the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> immediately after the filing deadline. <a id="paragraph-208036" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-505/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person, other than a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for a <span class="dictionary">party</span> nomination or <span class="dictionary">party</span> nominee, who intends to be a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> at any <span class="dictionary">election</span> for any other office shall file a declaration of candidacy with the <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> of the county or city where he resides. The declaration shall be in all respects the same as that required to be given to the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> by statewide and congressional district <span class="dictionary">candidates</span>. The <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall, within three days after receiving the declaration, deliver it in person or transmit it by certified mail, along with the <span class="dictionary">petitions</span> required by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Petition of qualified voters required; number of signatures required; certain towns excepted" href="/24.2-506/">24.2-506</a> or copies thereof, to the secretaries of the <span class="dictionary">electoral boards</span> of the counties or cities whose electors vote for the office. He shall transmit the names of the <span class="dictionary">candidates</span> who have filed with him to the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> immediately after the filing deadline. <a id="paragraph-208037" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-505/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> If requested in writing by a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> filing pursuant to subsection B or C, the secretary of the <span class="dictionary">electoral board</span> shall notify him of any irregularity in the declaration or <span class="dictionary">petitions</span> which can be corrected prior to the filing deadline. <a id="paragraph-208038" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-505/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 24-130, 24-131, 24-134.1, 24-135; 1958, c. 605; 1960, c. 427; 1962, c. 536; 1964, cc. 540, 541; 1970, c. 462, &#xA7; 24.1-166; 1971, Ex. Sess., cc. 119, 247; 1972, c. 620; 1973, c. 30; 1974, c. 428; 1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 616; 1978, c. 778; 1981, c. 425; 1983, c. 461; 1984, c. 480; 1991, c. 137; 1993, c. 641; 1996, c. 270.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
