VA SB 169
enactedCandidates for office; challenges to candidate qualifications.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · upper
Quick answers
Did VA SB 169 pass?
Yes. VA SB 169 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-13. Latest recorded action (2026-04-13): Approved by Governor-Chapter 882 (effective 7/1/2026)
What is VA SB 169 about?
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.
Who sponsors VA SB 169?
Stella G. Pekarsky is the primary sponsor of VA SB 169.
Description
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.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-08
- Latest action
- 2026-04-13 — Approved by Governor-Chapter 882 (effective 7/1/2026)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Stella G. Pekarskyprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2026-01-08
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100612D
filing,introduction
2026-01-08
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
referral-committee
2026-01-20
Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 7-N)
committee-passage
2026-01-22
Read first time
reading-1
2026-01-22
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-01-22
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-01-23
Read second time
reading-2
2026-01-23
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
2026-01-26
Read third time and passed Senate (22-Y 16-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-01-26
Passed Senate
passage
2026-02-02
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB169)
2026-02-03
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-03
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-03
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
referral-committee
2026-02-27
Reported from Privileges and Elections (14-Y 7-N)
committee-passage
2026-03-03
Read second time
reading-2
2026-03-04
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-04
Passed House (63-Y 36-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-10
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-10
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB169ER)
passage
2026-03-10
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-10
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-11
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB169)
2026-03-14
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-14
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-04-13
Approved by Governor-Chapter 882 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from Privileges and Elections
2026-01-20 · pass · 8-7
Member-level votes (15)
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: no
- Bill DeSteph: no
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Tara A. Durant: no
- Russet Perry: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: no
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: no
- Emily M. Jordan: no
- Michael J. Jones: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed R
2026-01-22 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: not voting
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Passage R
2026-01-26 · pass · 22-16
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: no
- Christie New Craig: no
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: no
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: no
- Tara A. Durant: not voting
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: no
- T. Travis Hackworth: no
- Christopher T. Head: not voting
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: no
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: no
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Mark J. Peake: no
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: no
- Bryce E. Reeves: no
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
- Richard H. Stuart: no
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Reported from Privileges and Elections
2026-02-27 · pass · 14-7
Member-level votes (22)
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: not voting
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- JJ Singh: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Israel D. O'Quinn: no
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
- Phillip A. Scott: no
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
- Mike A. Cherry: no
- Eric Phillips: no
H VOTE:
2026-03-04 · pass · 63-36
Member-level votes (99)
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: no
- Jason S. Ballard: no
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: no
- Nadarius E. Clark: yes
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
- Mitchell Cornett: no
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Will Davis: no
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Margaret A. Franklin: yes
- Debra D. Gardner: yes
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Timothy P. Griffin: no
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: no
- Karen Hamilton: no
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: no
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: no
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: no
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
- Joseph P. McNamara: no
- Kirk McPike: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: no
- May Nivar: yes
- Delores Oates: no
- Israel D. O'Quinn: no
- Justin Pence: no
- Eric Phillips: no
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Sam Rasoul: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Chris S. Runion: no
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Don Scott: yes
- Phillip A. Scott: no
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Irene Shin: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- JJ Singh: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Anne Ferrell Tata: no
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
- Wendell S. Walker: no
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- R. Lee Ware: no
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Michael J. Webert: no
- Madison Whittle: no
- Bill Wiley: no
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Wren M. Williams: no
- Tony O. Wilt: no
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
- Scott A. Wyatt: no
- Eric R. Zehr: no
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
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