VirginiaCandidates for office; challenges to candidate qualifications.
What it does
Elections; candidates for office; challenges to candidate qualifications. Requires any legal action relating to a person's eligibility to appear on the ballot on the basis that such person did not meet all qualifications or fulfill all requirements for candidacy to be filed in a circuit court and served on all parties (i) at least 90 days before the date of a general election; (ii) at least 65 days before the date of a primary election; (iii) at least 70 days before the date of a special election held on the same date as the general election; or (iv) for any special election held at a time other than a general election, (a) at least 55 days before the date of the special election or (b) within 10 days of any writ of election or order calling for a special election to be held less than 60 days after the issuance of the writ or order. The bill specifies that any such legal action will be given precedence on the docket and be decided by the circuit court no later than 10 days before the date on which ballots for that election are made available for absentee voting.
More detail
The bill also specifies that candidates who are nominated at a primary election cannot be later challenged on the basis of facts that were present prior to the primary election and could have been raised in a challenge to such candidate's eligibility for the primary ballot.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 882 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Mar 14Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 14Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026Minor
- Mar 11Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB169)
- Mar 10Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 10Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 10Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB169ER)Major
- Mar 10EnrolledMinor
- Mar 4Passed House (63-Y 36-N 0-A)Major
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Read third timeMinor
- Mar 3Read second timeMinor
- Feb 27Reported from Privileges and Elections (14-Y 7-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Privileges and Elections. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Referred to Committee on Privileges and ElectionsMinor
- Feb 3Read first timeMinor
- Feb 3Placed on Calendar
- Feb 2Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB169)
- Jan 26Passed SenatePassed House
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 26Read third time and passed Senate (22-Y 16-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Jan 23Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
- Jan 23Read second timeMinor
- Jan 22Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed R. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 22Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Jan 22Read first timeMinor
- Jan 20Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 7-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Privileges and Elections. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 8Referred to Committee on Privileges and ElectionsMinor
- Jan 8Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100612DIntroduced