SB 169 VA

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Became Law

Elections; candidates for office; challenges to candidate qualifications. Requires any legal action relating to a person's eligibility to appear on the ballot on the basis that such person did not meet all qualifications or fulfill all requirements for candidacy to be filed in a circuit court and served on all parties (i) at least 90 days before the date of a general election; (ii) at least 65 days before the date of a primary election; (iii) at least 70 days before the date of a special election held on the same date as the general election; or (iv) for any special election held at a time other than a general election, (a) at least 55 days before the date of the special election or (b) within 10 days of any writ of election or order calling for a special election to be held less than 60 days after the issuance of the writ or order. The bill specifies that any such legal action will be given precedence on the docket and be decided by the circuit court no later than 10 days before the date on which ballots for that election are made available for absentee voting. The bill also specifies that candidates who are nominated at a primary election cannot be later challenged on the basis of facts that were present prior to the primary election and could have been raised in a challenge to such candidate's eligibility for the primary ballot.

• Stella G. Pekarsky Democratic · primary

1. Jan 8, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100612D · upper
2. Jan 8, 2026 Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections · upper
3. Jan 20, 2026 Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 7-N) · upper
4. Jan 22, 2026 Read first time · upper
5. Jan 22, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
6. Jan 22, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
7. Jan 23, 2026 Read second time · upper
8. Jan 23, 2026 Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) · upper
9. Jan 26, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (22-Y 16-N 0-A) · upper
10. Jan 26, 2026 Passed Senate · upper
11. Feb 2, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB169) · upper
12. Feb 3, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
13. Feb 3, 2026 Read first time · lower
14. Feb 3, 2026 Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections · lower
15. Feb 27, 2026 Reported from Privileges and Elections (14-Y 7-N) · lower
16. Mar 3, 2026 Read second time · lower
17. Mar 4, 2026 Read third time · lower
18. Mar 4, 2026 Passed House (63-Y 36-N 0-A) · lower
19. Mar 10, 2026 Enrolled · upper
20. Mar 10, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB169ER) · upper
21. Mar 10, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
22. Mar 10, 2026 Signed by President · upper
23. Mar 11, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB169) · upper
24. Mar 14, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 · upper
25. Mar 14, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
26. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 882 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML