2011 Code of Virginia
Title 24.2 ELECTIONS.
Chapter 6 The Election (24.2-600 thru 24.2-687)
24.2-640 Ballots generally

24.2-640. Ballots generally.

In every county and city using mechanical or direct electronic voting systems requiring printed ballots, the electoral board shall furnish a sufficient number of ballots printed on plain white paper, of such form and size as will fit the ballot frames. The names of the various candidates shall be printed in type not less than fourteen point. On mechanical devices, the name of the office for which candidates are offering for election shall be printed in reverse printing or overlaid with a colored plastic strip.

For elections for federal, statewide, and General Assembly offices only, each candidate who has been nominated by a political party or in a primary election shall be identified by the name of his political party. Independent candidates shall be identified by the term "Independent." For the purpose of this section, any Independent candidate may, by producing sufficient and appropriate evidence of nomination by a "recognized political party" to the State Board, have the term "Independent" on the ballot converted to that of a "recognized political party" on the ballot and be treated on the ballot in a manner consistent with the candidates nominated by political parties. For the purpose of this section, a "recognized political party" is defined as an organization that, for at least six months preceding the filing of its nominee for the office, has had in continual existence a state central committee composed of registered voters residing in each congressional district of the Commonwealth, a party plan and bylaws, and a duly elected state chairman and secretary. A letter from the state chairman of a recognized political party certifying that a candidate is the nominee of that party and also signed by such candidate accepting that nomination shall constitute sufficient and appropriate evidence of nomination by a recognized political party. The name of the political party, the name of the "recognized political party," or term "Independent" may be shown by an initial or abbreviation to meet ballot requirements. All candidates shall be arranged on each device or other ballot to be electronically counted, either in columns or horizontal rows, and the caption of the various ballots on the devices shall be placed so that the voter knows what feature is to be used or operated to vote for his choice. No push knob, key lever or other device shall be used to vote for any candidate other than on an individual basis except for presidential electors. In districts in which more than one person is nominated by a single party for the same office, the names of the candidates shall appear alphabetically within their party groups.

The electoral board in any locality which converted from a mechanical to an electronic voting system after January 1, 1994, may use a ballot which (i) is similar to the ballot used on the mechanical system previously used in the locality, (ii) aligns the candidates of each political party and independent candidates on the same row or column, and (iii) provides a separate row or column for each political party and for independent candidates.

The provisions of general law concerning ballots shall apply unless in conflict with this section.

(Code 1950, 24-297; 1970, c. 462, 24.1-207; 1972, c. 620; 1974, c. 428; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 1998, c. 797; 2000, c. 514; 2002, c. 738; 2010, c. 204.)