Virginia is holding legislative elections for both houses of the legislature on November 3, 2015. The only qualified parties in Virginia are the Democratic and Republican Parties. Other candidates were required to submit petitions by 7 pm, Tuesday, June 9. The Virginia State Board of Elections says a list of such candidates will be posted on its web page by June 22.
The Virginia Libertarian Party web page lists five legislative candidates who petitioned. The other two parties that usually have legislative candidates in Virginia, the Independent Green Party and the Green Party, probably also have some candidates who petitioned. If anyone knows, please comment.
The deadline for a party to certify an independent candidate as their nominee is June 15.
I don’t understand. If a qualified party is nominating someone, how could he or she be considered an independent? Virginia doesn’t have registration by party so the only meaning as to whether a candidate is an independent or not is how he or she chooses to get on the ballot and what label will be used. Someone nominated by a party has that party’s label.
In Virginia, there are two political parties (10% or more votes for any statewide office at either of two preceding general elections). See Virginia Code 24.2-101.
Independent candidates may have “Independent” or a “recognized political party” next to their name on the ballot. It is pretty confusing since this is all described as part of the ballot form (Virginia Code 24.2-613), rather than under organization of political parties.
A “recognized political party”, not to be confused with a “political party” does not appear to be permanently recognized, but is recognized for each election for purposes of having its name on the ballot. The requirements: in continuous existence preceding 6 months; a state executive committee with members from each of the (11) congressional districts; a party plan and bylaws; and a duly elected state chairman and secretary.
A “recognized political party” also files a list of its party nominees, including the signature of the candidate consenting to his nomination by the party.
In the description on the Board of Elections website, the process is described as a transformation from independent to party candidacy.
It appears that the process is also used when when a political party does not nominate by primary, but I might be confused on that part.