Agency 20. State Board of Elections
- Preface
VAC AGENCY NO. 20
STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
AGENCY SUMMARY
The State Board of Elections is authorized by Chapters 1 (§ 24.2-100 et seq.), 4 (§ 24.2-400 et seq.), 4.1 (§ 24.2-451 et seq.), and 7 (§ 24.2-700 et seq.) of Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia to prescribe standard forms for voter registration and elections and to supervise, coordinate, and adopt regulations governing the work of local electoral boards, registrars, and officers of election. The Department of Elections is authorized to establish and maintain a statewide automated voter registration system, including procedures for ascertaining current addresses of registrants; to require cancellation of records for registrants no longer qualified; to provide electronic application for voter registration and absentee ballots; and to provide electronic delivery of absentee ballots to eligible military and overseas voters.
Pursuant to Chapters 3 (§ 24.2-300 et seq.), 6 (§ 24.2-600 et seq.), and 7 (§ 24.2-700 et seq.) of Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia, the department conducts the board's administrative and programmatic operations and discharges the board's duties consistent with delegated authority. The board prescribes standard forms for use in absentee voting and at elections. The board is authorized to approve kinds or types of voting equipment and ballots that may be used; to establish procedures governing conduct of elections; to certify candidates; to determine by lot the order of political parties, party groups, and independents on the ballot; and to verify the accuracy of ballots printed by localities.
Candidates for statewide, legislative, and shared constitutional offices must file statements of qualification for office with the board pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 24.2-500 et seq.) of Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Candidates for statewide offices in a party primary and candidates for statewide and federal offices in a general election who are independents or who represent groups other than a qualified political party must also file with the board declarations of candidacy and other qualifying papers pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 24.2-500 et seq.) of Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia.
The board is required by Chapter 5 (§ 24.2-500 et seq.) of Title 24.2 and Chapter 31 (§ 2.2-3100 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia to disqualify any candidate who fails to file these documents by the required deadline or who fails to file a statement of financial interests with the appropriate authority by the required deadline.
Pursuant to Chapter 9.3 (§ 24.2-945 et seq.) of Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia, the department administers a centralized electronic system for receiving reports of campaign contributions and expenditures. All candidates for statewide office, General Assembly, and local or constitutional offices must electronically file with the department. The board may not issue a certificate of election to any successful candidate until these required pre-election reports and the first post-election report have been filed.
The department publishes informational bulletins on the filing and campaign finance requirements for each office that are updated annually and available on its website.
The board tabulates and certifies results of elections for federal and state offices and for constitutional offices shared by a county and one or more cities and, in tied elections for these offices, determines by lot the candidate to be declared elected pursuant to Chapter 6 (§ 24.2-600 et seq.) of Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Circuit courts are required to consult with the board and the department in the conduct of any recount for federal, state, or shared constitutional offices pursuant to Chapter 8 (§ 24.2-800 et seq.) of Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia.
The board operates under the supervision of the Secretary of Administration. Regulations and guidance documents are available for public inspection electronically through the board's Internet address at http://elections.virginia.gov/ or by calling 1-800-552-9745 or TTY 800-260-3466. The offices of the board and the department are located at the Washington Building, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
Rev. 7/2024
- Chapter 10
- Public Participation GuidelinesRead all
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Section 20
- Notification List
- Section 30
- Information to Be Sent to Persons on the Notification List
- Section 40
- Public Comment
- Section 50
- Petition for Rulemaking
- Section 60
- Appointment of Regulatory Advisory Panel
- Section 70
- Appointment of Negotiated Rulemaking Panel
- Section 80
- Meetings
- Section 90
- Public Hearings on Regulations
- Section 100
- Effective Date and Posting to Agency Website
- Section 110
- Appeal of Board Decisions
- Section 120
- Periodic Review of Regulations
- Section 130
- Transition
- Chapter 20
- General AdministrationRead all
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Section 20
- Electronic Transmission of Records Containing Sensitive Personal Information; Encryption or Redaction Required.
- Section 30
- Organization of State Board of Elections; Seal
- Section 40
- Virginia Help America Vote Act Plan
- Section 50
- Fee for Nonattendance at Annual Training
- Section 60
- Delegations to Secretary of State Board of Elections
- Section 70
- Duty to Request Assistance and to Notify Voters of Denial of Applications for Voter Registration or Absentee Ballots.
- Section 80
- Complaints
- Section 90
- Required Training for Virginia Voter Registration System Users
- FORMS
- Forms (1VAC20-20)
- DIBR
- Documents Incorporated by Reference (1VAC20-20)
- Chapter 40
- Voter RegistrationRead all
- Article 1
- General Provisions
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Article 2
- Residency for Voter Registration
- Section 20
- Required Intent for Voter Registration
- Section 30
- Presumptions
- Section 40
- Review of Application
- Section 50
- Supplemental Questions
- Section 60
- Review of Supplemental Questions
- Section 70
- Applications for Voter Registration; Affirmation of United States Citizenship
- Section 80
- [Repealed]
- Section 90
- [Repealed]
- FORMS
- Forms (1VAC20-40)
- Chapter 45
- Absent Military and Overseas VotersRead all
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Section 20
- Voter Registration
- Section 30
- Electronic Submission of Federal Post Card Application
- Section 40
- Material Omissions from Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots
- FORMS
- Forms (1VAC20-45)
- Chapter 50
- Candidate QualificationRead all
- Section 10
- (Reserved.)
- Section 20
- Material Omissions from Candidate Petitions and Petition Signature Qualifications
- Section 30
- Appeals of Petition Signature Insufficiency
- Section 40
- Review of Canceled Voter Petition
- FORMS
- Forms (1VAC20-50)
- Chapter 60
- Election AdministrationRead all
- Section 10
- (Reserved.)
- Section 20
- Material Omissions on Referendum Petitions and Petition Signature Qualifications
- Section 30
- Electronic Devices in Polling Place
- Section 40
- When Ballot Cast
- Section 50
- Overfull Optical Scan Ballot Container
- Section 60
- Provisional Votes
- Section 70
- Mandatory Logic and Accuracy Testing for Electronic Pollbooks
- Section 80
- Request for a Risk-Limiting Audit for a Contested Race within a Jurisdiction
- Section 90
- Material Omissions from Officer Removal Petitions and Petition Signature Qualifications
- FORMS
- Forms (1VAC20-60)
- Chapter 70
- Absentee VotingRead all
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Section 20
- Material Omissions from Absentee Ballots
- Section 30
- [Repealed]
- Section 40
- Alternative Processing Procedures for Absentee Ballots Returned Before Election Day
- Section 50
- Version; Applicable Law.
- Section 60
- Security Requirements for Absentee Satellite Offices
- Section 70
- Mandatory Mailing Elements on Absentee Ballot Envelopes
- Section 80
- [Repealed]
- Section 90
- Requirements for Third Parties Mailing and Assembling Absentee Ballots
- FORMS
- Forms (1VAC20-70)
- Chapter 80
- Recounts and Contested ElectionsRead all
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Section 20
- Recounts and Contested Elections
- DIBR
- Documents Incorporated by Reference (1VAC20-80)
- Chapter 90
- Campaign Finance and Political AdvertisementsRead all
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Section 20
- [Repealed]
- Section 30
- Express Advocacy
- Chapter 100
- Ranked Choice VotingRead all
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Section 20
- Administration
- Section 30
- Ranked Choice Voting
- Section 40
- Ballot Treatment
- Section 50
- Ranked Choice Voting Tabulation
- Section 60
- Unreadable Ballots
- Section 65
- Write-Ins
- Section 70
- Election Results
- Section 80
- Outreach