On May 6, the Virginia Libertarian Party held a state convention and nominated Cliff Hyra for Governor. See this story. Because the Virginia Libertarian Party has never been ballot-qualified, it must submit 10,000 signatures to put him on the ballot. The petition drive had been underway for several weeks and is expected to succeed. The signatures are due in June 2017.

In 2013, the Libertarian Party also petitioned for Governor, and polled 6.55% for that office. In every other state that has a vote test except Alabama, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Washington, 6.55% for Governor would have been enough to create or maintain a ballot-qualified party. However, the Virginia vote test is 10%.

If the Libertarian petition succeeds, the party will have been on the ballot two elections in a row for Governor. No other minor party has managed to be on the ballot for Virginia Governor, two elections in a row, since the Socialist Party was on in 1953, 1949, 1945, and 1941. Back then the petition for that office, for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties, was only 250 signatures.