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Virginia > Title 24.2 Elections > Campaign Finance Disclosure Act Of 2006 Article 3. Candidates and Their Campaign Committees

§ 24.2-947.1 Statement of organization

Overview of Statute

This section requires candidates to file a statement of organization with the entity specified in this section. This section also lists the statement’s required contents.

Statute

A. Any individual seeking or campaigning for an office of the Commonwealth or one of its governmental units in a party nomination process or general, primary, or special election shall file a statement of organization within 10 days of meeting any one of the following conditions:

1. Acceptance of a contribution;

2. Expenditure of any funds;

3. The payment of a filing fee for any party nomination method;

4. The filing of a candidate statement of qualification pursuant to § 24.2-501;

5. The appointment of a campaign treasurer, designation of a campaign committee, or designation of a campaign depository; or

6. In the case of a candidate for a town office in a town with a population of less than 25,000 that has not otherwise adopted the provisions of this chapter by ordinance, acceptance of a contribution or expenditure of funds that brings the total amount of contributions accepted or funds expended to more than $25,000 within the candidate’s election cycle, as set forth in § 24.2-947.

B. Candidates for statewide office shall file the statement with the State Board. Candidates for the General Assembly shall file the statement with the State Board and a copy of the statement with the general registrar of the locality of the candidate’s residence. Candidates for local or constitutional office shall file the statement with the general registrar and, if the statement indicates that the candidate committee will be filing electronically, a copy with the State Board.

C. The statement of organization shall include the following information:

1. The full name and residence address of the candidate;

2. The full name and mailing address for the campaign committee;

3. The full name, residence address, and daytime phone number of the treasurer;

4. The office being sought and district, if any, for the office;

5. The recognized political party affiliation of the candidate for statewide office or the General Assembly. In the absence of any political party affiliation, independent shall be used;

6. The name of the financial institution for his campaign depository; and

7. Such other information as shall be required by the State Board except that the account number for a designated depository account shall not be required.

D. In the case of any candidate who seeks election for successive terms in the same office, the statement of organization filed by the candidate shall continue in effect for such successive elections, but the candidate shall file notice of any changes in the information provided on the form within 10 days of the change with the State Board, general registrar, or both, as appropriate.

1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-253, 24.1-254; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 222; 1972, cc. 620, 622; 1975, c. 515; 1978, c. 778; 1983, c. 119; 1984, c. 480; 1993, c. 641, § 24.2-904; 1996, c. 405; 2003, c. 248; 2004, cc. 441, 480; 2006, cc. 787, 892; 2007, cc. 151, 286; 2015, cc. 644, 645; 2019, c. 825.

Definition [State Board]

The State Board of Elections.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Expenditure]

Money and services of any amount, and any other thing of value, paid, loaned, provided, or in any other way disbursed by any candidate, campaign committee, political committee, or person for the purpose of expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or by any inaugural committee for the purpose of defraying the costs of the inauguration of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General.

See § 24.2-945.1.

Definition [Contribution]

Money and services of any amount, in-kind contributions, and any other thing of value, given, advanced, loaned, or in any other way provided to a candidate, campaign committee, political committee, or person for the purpose of expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or to an inaugural committee for the purpose of defraying the costs of the inauguration of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General. “Contribution” includes money, services, or things of value in any way provided by a candidate to his own campaign and the payment by the candidate of a filing fee for any party nomination method.

See § 24.2-945.1.

Definition [Political party]

An organization of citizens of the Commonwealth which, at either of the two preceding statewide general elections, received at least 10 percent of the total vote cast for any statewide office filled in that election. The organization shall have a state central committee and an office of elected state chairman which have been continually in existence for the six months preceding the filing of a nominee for any office.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Special election]

Any election that is held pursuant to law to fill a vacancy in office or to hold a referendum.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Statewide office]

The office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General.

See § 24.2-945.1.

Definition [General Registrar]

The person appointed by the electoral board of a county or city pursuant to § 24.2-110 to be responsible for all aspects of voter registration, in addition to other duties prescribed by this title. When performing duties related to the administration of elections, the general registrar is acting in his capacity as the director of elections for the locality in which he serves.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Campaign committee]

The committee designated by a candidate to receive all contributions and make all expenditures for him or on his behalf in connection with his nomination or election.

See § 24.2-945.1.

Definition [Constitutional office]

A county or city office or officer referred to in Article VII, Section 4 of the Constitution of Virginia: clerk of the circuit court, attorney for the Commonwealth, sheriff, commissioner of the revenue, and treasurer.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Party]

An organization of citizens of the Commonwealth which, at either of the two preceding statewide general elections, received at least 10 percent of the total vote cast for any statewide office filled in that election. The organization shall have a state central committee and an office of elected state chairman which have been continually in existence for the six months preceding the filing of a nominee for any office.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Board]

The State Board of Elections.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [State]

A state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

See § 24.2-452.

Definition [Primary]

An election held for the purpose of selecting a candidate to be the nominee of a political party for election to office.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Election]

A general, primary, or special election.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Candidate]

A person who seeks or campaigns for an office of the Commonwealth or one of its governmental units in a general, primary, or special election and who is qualified to have his name placed on the ballot for the office. “Candidate” shall include a person who seeks the nomination of a political party or who, by reason of receiving the nomination of a political party for election to an office, is referred to as its nominee. For the purposes of Chapters 8 (§ 24.2-800 et seq.), 9.3 (§ 24.2-945 et seq.), and 9.5 (§ 24.2-955 et seq.), “candidate” shall include any write-in candidate. However, no write-in candidate who has received less than 15 percent of the votes cast for the office shall be eligible to initiate an election contest pursuant to Article 2 (§ 24.2-803 et seq.) of Chapter 8. For the purposes of Chapters 9.3 (§ 24.2-945 et seq.) and 9.5 (§ 24.2-955 et seq.), “candidate” shall include any person who raises or spends funds in order to seek or campaign for an office of the Commonwealth, excluding federal offices, or one of its governmental units in a party nomination process or general, primary, or special election; and such person shall be considered a candidate until a final report is filed pursuant to Article 3 (§ 24.2-947 et seq.) of Chapter 9.3.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Residence]

For all purposes of qualification to register and vote, means and requires both domicile and a place of abode. To establish domicile, a person must live in a particular locality with the intention to remain. A place of abode is the physical place where a person dwells.

See § 24.2-101.

Cases

Virginia Cases

Case Name: Virginia Soc’y for Human Life, Inc. v. Caldwell

Citation: 500 S.E.2d 814

Year: 1998

Case URL: https://www.ravellaw.com/opinions/70eca3303eaf7fee014937abd57ff2cc

Case Summary: Holding that “for the purpose of influencing the outcome of an election” as used in Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, which requires certain individuals or organizations that give money and services of any amount “for the purpose of influencing the outcome of an election” to file a statement of organization, does not apply to individuals or groups that engage solely in issue advocacy and that do not advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate.

Out-of-State Cases

Federal Cases

Case Name: Virginia Soc. for Human Life, Inc. v. Caldwell

Citation: 906 F. Supp. 1071

Federal District Court: Western District of Virginia

Year: 1995

Case URL: https://www.ravellaw.com/opinions/27512b32f8938b586f9a2aaeb6c9eaea

Case Summary: Holding that distributor of voter guides and antiabortion organization were entitled to preliminary injunction against enforcement of provisions of Virginia’s Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, which requires each person and political committee that anticipates receiving contributions or making expenditures in excess of $100 to file “statement of organization.” The chilling effect of broadly reading statutes was clear and constituted irreparable harm.

Regulations & Guidance