<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>355877</law_id><section_number>24.2-511</section_number><catch_line>Party chairman or official to certify candidates to State Board and general registrars; failure to certify</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="64" identifier="24.2">Elections</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="6" identifier="5">Candidates for Office</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="3" identifier="3">Nominations of Candidates by Political Parties</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The state, district, or other appropriate <span class="dictionary">party</span> chairman shall certify the name of any <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> who has been nominated by his <span class="dictionary">party</span> by a method other than a <span class="dictionary">primary</span> for any office to be elected by the <span class="dictionary">qualified voters</span> of (i) the Commonwealth at large, (ii) a congressional district or a General Assembly district, or (iii) political subdivisions jointly electing a shared <span class="dictionary">constitutional officer</span>, along with the date of the nomination of the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>, to the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> not later than five days after the last day for nominations to be made. The <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> shall notify the <span class="dictionary">general registrars</span> of the names of the <span class="dictionary">candidates</span> to appear on the ballot for such offices. <a id="paragraph-1325198" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-511/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">party</span> chairman of the district or political subdivision in which any other office is to be filled shall certify the name of any <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for that office who has been nominated by his <span class="dictionary">party</span> by a method other than a <span class="dictionary">primary</span> to the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> and to the <span class="dictionary">general registrars</span> of the cities and counties in which the name of the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> will appear on the ballot not later than five days after the last day for nominations to be made. Should the <span class="dictionary">party</span> chairman fail to make such certification, the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span> shall declare that the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> is the nominee of the particular <span class="dictionary">party</span> and direct that his name be treated as if certified by the <span class="dictionary">party</span> chairman. <a id="paragraph-1325199" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-511/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> In the case of a nomination for any office to be filled by a <span class="dictionary">special election</span>, the <span class="dictionary">party</span> chairman shall certify the name of any <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> (i) by the deadline to nominate the <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> or (ii) not later than five days after the deadline if it is a <span class="dictionary">special election</span> held at the second November election after the vacancy occurred. <a id="paragraph-1325200" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-511/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> No further notice of candidacy or <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall be required of a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> once the <span class="dictionary">party</span> chairman has certified his name to the <span class="dictionary">State Board</span>. <a id="paragraph-1325201" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-511/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> In no case shall the individual who is a <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for an office be the person who certifies the name of the <span class="dictionary">party</span> <span class="dictionary">candidate</span> for that same office. In such case the <span class="dictionary">party</span> shall designate an alternate official to certify its <span class="dictionary">candidate</span>. <a id="paragraph-1325202" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-511/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 24-134, 24-345.3; 1952, c. 509; 1954, c. 523; 1956, Ex. Sess., c. 1; 1958, c. 309; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 17; 1960, c. 383; 1962, c. 536; 1964, c. 539; 1970, c. 462, &#xA7; 24.1-169; 1972, c. 620; 1978, c. 778; 1982, c. 650; 1993, c. 641; 2006, c. 83; 2014, c. 473; 2016, cc. 18, 492.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
