Bill Text: VA HB1346 | 2013 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Presidential electors; candidate petitions, required signatures, etc.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2013-03-20 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0550) [HB1346 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2013-HB1346-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That §§24.2-543 and 24.2-545 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows: §24.2-543. How other groups may submit names of electors; oaths of electors. A group of qualified voters, not constituting a political
party as defined in §24.2-101, may have the names of electors selected by
them, including one elector residing in each congressional district and two
from the Commonwealth at large, printed upon the official ballot to be used in
the election of electors for President and Vice President by filing a petition
pursuant to this section. The petition shall be filed with the State Board by
noon of the seventy-fourth day before the presidential election. The petition
shall be signed by at least In the event of the death or withdrawal of a candidate for President or Vice President qualified to appear on the ballot by party name, that party may substitute the name of a different candidate before the State Board certifies to the county and city electoral boards the form of the official ballots. In the event that a group of qualified voters meets the requirements set forth in this section except that they cannot utilize a party name, the electors selected and the candidates for President and Vice President shall be identified and designated as "Independent" on the ballot. Substitution of a different candidate for Vice President may be made by the candidate for President before the State Board certifies to the county and city electoral boards the form of the official ballot. In the event of the death or disqualification of any person listed as an elector for candidates for President and Vice President on a petition filed pursuant to this section, the party or candidate for President, as applicable, may substitute the name of a different elector. Such substitution shall not invalidate any petition of qualified voters circulated with the name of the deceased or disqualified elector provided that notice of the substitution is filed with the State Board by noon of the seventy-fourth day before the presidential election. Notice of the substitution and the name of any substitute elector shall be submitted on a form prepared by the State Board. §24.2-545. Presidential primary. A. The duly constituted authorities of the state political party shall have the right to determine the method by which the state party will select its delegates to the national convention to choose the party's nominees for President and Vice President of the United States including a presidential primary or another method determined by the party. The state chairman shall notify the State Board of the party's determination at least 90 days before the primary date. If the party has determined that it will hold a presidential primary, each registered voter of the Commonwealth shall be given an opportunity to participate in the presidential primary of the political party, as defined in §24.2-101, subject to requirements determined by the political party for participation in its presidential primary. The requirements may include, but shall not be limited to, the signing of a pledge by the voter of his intention to support the party's candidate when offering to vote in the primary. The requirements applicable to a party's primary shall be determined at least 90 days prior to the primary date and certified to, and approved by, the State Board. B. Any person seeking the nomination of the national political
party for the office of President of the United States, or any group organized
in The State Board shall transmit the material so filed to the state chairman of the party of the candidate immediately after the primary filing deadline. The sealed containers containing the petitions for a candidate may be opened only by the state chairman of the party of the candidate. The state chairman of the party shall, by the deadline set by the State Board, furnish to the State Board the names of all candidates who have satisfied the requirements of this section. Whenever only one candidate for a party's nomination for President of the United States has met the requirements to have his name on the ballot, he will be declared the winner and no presidential primary for that party will be held. C. The names of all candidates in the presidential primary of each political party shall appear on the ballot in an order determined by lot by the State Board. D. The State Board shall certify the results of the presidential primary to the state chairman. If the party has determined that its delegates and alternates will be selected pursuant to the primary, the slate of delegates and alternates of the candidate receiving the most votes in the primary shall be deemed elected by the state party unless the party has determined another method for allocation of delegates and alternates. If the party has determined to use another method for selecting delegates and alternates, those delegates and alternates shall be bound to vote on the first ballot at the national convention for the candidate receiving the most votes in the primary unless that candidate releases those delegates and alternates from such vote. E. The election, or binding of votes, of delegates to a political party's national convention for the nomination of that party's candidates for President and Vice President of the United States through the presidential primary process shall be considered to be equivalent to a primary for the nomination of a party's candidate. F. The cost of the presidential primary shall be paid by the Commonwealth pursuant to the provisions of the appropriation act. |