Candidate Information

Candidates for office must meet certain qualifications and are required to file specific documents in order to qualify to appear on the ballot. These qualifications and requirements may vary slightly depending on whether the office sought is a local office, a general assembly seat, a statewide office, or a federal office. Generally, all candidates must meet the following minimum qualifications:
(1) A candidate must be qualified to vote for and to hold the office being sought.
(2) A candidate must have been a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia for at least one year immediately preceding the election.
Citizens who are interested in running for state or local offices in Virginia, should start by downloading the appropriate Candidate Information Bulletin from the Virginia Department of Elections web site to get information about qualifications for a particular office, filing requirements and deadlines, where to file the required forms and documents and other information about running for a particular office.

All candidates for office must also comply with state laws regarding campaign finance and advertising.
Candidate Information, Forms and Reports may also be obtained by contacting:

Virginia Department of Elections
Washington Building
1100 Bank Street, First Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 864-8901
Toll-free in Virginia: (800) 552-9745
Fax: (804) 371-0194
Email: info@elections.virginia.gov
Local Offices (Mecklenburg County)