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:

• A candidate must be qualified to vote for, and to hold, the office being sought.
• A candidate must have been a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia for at least one year immediately preceding the election.

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Political Signs	Filing Fees
Party Candidates	Calendar of Upcoming Elections
Independent Candidates	Skip to Links and Forms pertaining to Candidate Filing

What’s the first step?

Citizens who are interested in running for state or local offices in Virginia should visit the State Board of Elections Web site and look at the:

• Candidate Information Bulletins
  Provides information to candidates and prospective candidates about qualifications for a particular office, filing requirements and deadlines; where to file the required forms and documents, and other information candidates will need to run for a particular office. The candidate information bulletin you should consult will depend on the office you are seeking.
  
• Required forms and documents
  Download forms required to run for various local, state and federal offices
  
• Campaign finance and advertising
  Information for all candidates for office to comply with state laws regarding campaign finance

Candidate Information, Forms and Reports may also be obtained by contacting:

Virginia State Board of Elections
1100 Bank Street, 1st Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-864-8901
Toll-free in Virginia: 800-552-9745
Fax: 804-225-3706

Prince William County residents needing forms and/or assistance may contact:

The Office of Voter Registration and Elections
9250 Lee Avenue, Suite 1
Manassas, VA 20110-5554
Phone: 703-792-6470
Fax: 703-792-6461

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Political Signs

Prince William County candidates who wish to post political signs must comply with PWC local ordinances; Chapter 9.5 of Title 24.2, The Code of Virginia; and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) regulations. Click this link to view the Office of Planning’s Guide to Regulations for Posting Temporary Political & Campaign Signs on Private Property. For information on Property Code Enforcement, please call 703-792-7018.

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Party Candidates

Prince William County residents who are seeking to be a nominee of either the Democratic or Republican Party should contact the local committee for party regulations and activities.

The Prince William County Democratic Headquarters (http://www.pwcdems.com)
Glendale Plaza Shopping Center
4326 Dale Blvd., Suite 6; Woodbridge, VA 22193-2403
Phone: 703-730-1409
Chairman: Pete Frisbie - 703-304-1978; e-mail: pfrisbie@aol.com

The Prince William County Republican Headquarters (http://pwcgop.org/)
4431 Prince William Parkway; Woodbridge, VA 22192
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1955;  Manassas, VA 20108-0806
Phone: 703-680-7388
Chairman: Lyle G. Beefelt - 703-772-3988; e-mail: lyle.beefelt@hotmail.com

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Independent Candidates

Individuals who wish to run as independent candidates may participate in all elections except primaries. The filing deadline for independent candidates for offices elected in November is 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday in June.

Candidates for School Board and the Soil and Water Conservation District run as independents and, therefore, are not nominated by primary elections.

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Filing Fees

If a political party has adopted a primary election for a particular contest/district, candidates must pay a filing fee that is 2% of the minimum annual salary for the office sought in effect for the year in which the candidate files. The filing fee is paid to the Director of Finance for Prince William County.

Candidates who are nominated by a political party, by a method other than a primary election, such as a convention, caucus or canvass (sometimes called a "firehouse primary"), may also be required to pay a filing fee. This fee is determined by the rules of the political party and paid to the appropriate party or district committee. Candidates should contact the political party chairman for further information.

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Links and Forms Pertaining to Candidate Filing

Candidate qualifications, requirements and forms

Candidate Financial Disclosure

Candidate Information Bulletin

Candidate Forms

Virginia Campaign Finance Web site

Office of Planning’s Guide to Regulation for Posting Temporary Political & Campaign Signs on Private Property

Prince William County Democratic Party Headquarters

Prince William County Republican Party Headquarters

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