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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57868</law_id><section_number>24.2-612</section_number><catch_line>List of offices and candidates filed with Department of Elections and checked for accuracy; when ballots printed; number required</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>24.2-466</reference><reference>24.2-506</reference><reference>24.2-620</reference><reference>24.2-706</reference><reference>24.2-709</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="6">The Election</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Ballots</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Immediately after the expiration of the time provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span> for a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for any office to qualify to have his name printed on the official ballot and prior to printing the ballots for an election, each <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall forward to the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> a list of the county, city, or town offices to be filled at the election and the names of all <span class="dictionary">candidates</span> who have filed for each office. In addition, each <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall forward the name of any <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> who failed to qualify with the reason for his disqualification. On that same day, the <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall also provide a copy of the notice to each disqualified <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>. The notice shall be sent by email or regular mail to the address on the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>&#x2019;s certificate of <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> qualification, and such notice shall be deemed sufficient. The <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> shall promptly advise the <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> of the accuracy of the list. The failure of any <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> to send the list to the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> for verification shall not invalidate any election.
		Each <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall have printed the number of ballots he determines will be sufficient to conduct the election. Such determination shall be based on the number of active <span class="dictionary">registered voters</span> and historical election data, including voter turnout, and shall be subject to the approval by the <span class="dictionary">electoral board</span>.
		Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title, the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> may print or otherwise provide one statewide <span class="dictionary">paper ballot</span> style for each <span class="dictionary">paper ballot</span> style in use for presidential and vice-presidential electors for use only by persons eligible to vote for those offices only under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Persons moving from Commonwealth fewer than thirty days before presidential election" href="/24.2-402/">24.2-402</a> or only for federal elections under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Restriction of ballot eligibility" href="/24.2-453/">24.2-453</a>. The <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> may apportion or authorize the printer or vendor to apportion the costs for these ballots among the localities based on the number of ballots ordered. Any printer employed by the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> shall execute the statement required by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Duties of printer; statement; penalty" href="/24.2-616/">24.2-616</a>. The <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> shall designate a representative to be present at the printing of such ballots and deliver them to the appropriate <span class="dictionary">general registrars</span> pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Representative of electoral board or general registrar to be present at printing; custody of ballots; electoral board or general registrar may disclose contents, style, and size" href="/24.2-617/">24.2-617</a>. Upon receipt of such <span class="dictionary">paper ballots</span>, the <span class="dictionary">electoral board</span> or the <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall affix the seal of the <span class="dictionary">electoral board</span>. Thereafter, such ballots shall be handled and accounted for, and the votes counted as the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> shall specifically direct.
		The <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall make <span class="dictionary">printed ballots</span> available for absentee voting not later than 45 days prior to any election or within three business days of the receipt of a properly completed absentee ballot application, whichever is later. In the case of a <span class="dictionary">special election</span>, excluding for federal offices, if time is insufficient to meet the applicable deadline established herein, then the <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall make <span class="dictionary">printed ballots</span> available as soon after the deadline as possible. For the purposes of this chapter, making <span class="dictionary">printed ballots</span> available includes mailing of such ballots or electronic transmission of such ballots pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Duty of general registrar on receipt of application; statement of voter" href="/24.2-706/">24.2-706</a> to a covered voter, as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/24.2-452/">24.2-452</a>, who has applied for an absentee ballot pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Application for absentee ballot" href="/24.2-701/">24.2-701</a>. Not later than five days after absentee ballots are made available, each <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall report to the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span>, in writing on a form approved by the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span>, whether he has complied with the applicable deadline.
		Only the names of <span class="dictionary">candidates</span> for offices to be voted on in a particular <span class="dictionary">election district</span> shall be printed on the ballots for that <span class="dictionary">election district</span>.
		The <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> shall send to the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> a statement of the number of ballots ordered to be printed, proofs of each <span class="dictionary">printed ballot</span> for verification, and copies of each final ballot. If the <span class="dictionary">Department of Elections</span> finds that, in its <span class="dictionary">opinion</span>, the number of ballots ordered to be printed by any <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> is not sufficient, it may direct the <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> to <span class="dictionary">order</span> the printing of a reasonable number of additional ballots.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 24-213, 24-214; 1952, c. 4; 1954, c. 513; 1956, c. 395; 1970, c. 462, &#xA7; 24.1-109; 1972, c. 620; 1980, c. 639; 1981, c. 425; 1984, c. 480; 1993, c. 641; 2003, c. 1015; 2009, c. 522; 2010, cc. 449, 645; 2011, cc. 427, 458; 2012, c. 353; 2013, c. 684; 2014, cc. 540, 576; 2015, c. 313; 2016, cc. 18, 492; 2017, cc. 167, 356; 2019, cc. 668, 669; 2020, cc. 1149, 1151, 1201.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
