Becoming a Candidate
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:
- Be qualified to vote for and hold the office sought, and
- Be a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia for one year immediately preceding the election.
The Department of Elections has developed and published candidate informational bulletins specific to each office type. Citizens who are interested in running for state or local offices in Virginia should start by downloading the appropriate bulletin. In addition to the qualifications, forms and filing requirements, candidate information bulletins provide candidates with information he/she will need to run for office.