<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>64477</law_id><section_number>24.2-804</section_number><catch_line>Contest of elections of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>24.2-814</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="8">Recounts and Contested Elections</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Contested Elections</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>In any election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span>, notice of the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to contest the election shall be filed with the Clerk of the House of Delegates as prescribed in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Contest of election to General Assembly" href="/24.2-803/">24.2-803</a>. The provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Contest of election to General Assembly" href="/24.2-803/">24.2-803</a> shall govern standing, notice of <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to contest, answers, <span class="dictionary">service of process</span>, <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>, the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, procedures, relief, and assessed costs except (i) that in a contest of an election held at the November <span class="dictionary">general election</span> the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall be filed within two days following the commencement of a special session of the General Assembly called for the purpose of <span class="dictionary">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.
		At the time of filing the notice, the contestant shall post a <span class="dictionary">bond</span> with <span class="dictionary">surety</span> with the Clerk of the House of Delegates in the amount of $10 per <span class="dictionary">precinct</span> in the Commonwealth. If the contestant wins the contest, the <span class="dictionary">bond</span> shall not be forfeited. If the contestant loses the contest, the <span class="dictionary">bond</span> shall be forfeited and costs assessed as provided in subsections B and H of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Contest of election to General Assembly" href="/24.2-803/">24.2-803</a>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 24-427 through 24-429; 1970, c. 462, &#xA7; 24.1-237; 1981, c. 570; 1993, c. 641; 2006, c. 292.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
