24.2-103 - Powers and duties in general.
§ 24.2-103. Powers and duties in general.
A. The State Board shall supervise and coordinate the work of the county andcity electoral boards and of the registrars to obtain uniformity in theirpractices and proceedings and legality and purity in all elections. It shallmake rules and regulations and issue instructions and provide informationconsistent with the election laws to the electoral boards and registrars topromote the proper administration of election laws. Electoral boards andregistrars shall provide information requested by the Board and shall follow(i) the elections laws and (ii) the rules and regulations of the Boardinsofar as they do not conflict with Virginia or federal law. The Board shallpost on the Internet within three business days any rules or regulations madeby the Board. Upon request and at a reasonable charge not to exceed theactual cost incurred, the State Board shall provide to any requestingpolitical party or candidate, within three days of the receipt of therequest, copies of any instructions or information provided by the StateBoard to the local electoral boards and registrars.
B. The Board shall ensure that the members of the electoral boards andgeneral registrars are properly trained to carry out their duties by offeringtraining annually, or more often, as it deems appropriate, and withoutcharging any fees to the electoral boards and general registrars for thetraining. The Board shall set the training standards for the officers ofelection to be fulfilled by the local electoral boards and generalregistrars. The Board shall require certification that officers of electionhave been trained consistent with the training standards set by the Board.Such certification shall be submitted each year prior to the November generalelection by the local electoral board.
C. The Board may institute proceedings pursuant to § 24.2-234 for the removalof any member of an electoral board who fails to discharge the duties of hisoffice in accordance with law. The Board may petition the local electoralboard to remove from office any general registrar who fails to discharge theduties of his office according to law. The Board may institute proceedingspursuant to § 24.2-234 for the removal of a general registrar if the localelectoral board refuses to remove the general registrar and the State Boardfinds that the failure to remove the general registrar has a material adverseeffect upon the conduct of either the registrar's office or any election. Anyaction taken by the Board pursuant to this subsection shall require arecorded majority vote of the Board.
D. The Board may petition a circuit court or the Supreme Court, whichever isappropriate, for a writ of mandamus or prohibition, or other available legalrelief, for the purpose of ensuring that elections are conducted as providedby law.
E. The Board shall supervise its own staff to assure that no member of itsstaff shall serve (i) as the chairman of a political party or other officerof a state-, local-, or district-level political party committee or (ii) as apaid or volunteer worker in the campaign of a candidate for nomination orelection to an office filled by election in whole or in part by the qualifiedvoters of the Commonwealth.
F. The Board shall adopt a seal for its use and bylaws for its ownproceedings.
(Code 1950, §§ 24-24, 24-25, 24-345.10, 24-345.11; 1952, c. 509; 1956, c.392; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-18, 24.1-19; 1973, c. 30; 1975, c. 515; 1977, c.576; 1980, c. 728; 1984, c. 444; 1993, c. 641; 1999, c. 861; 2004, cc. 27,391; 2006, c. 760; 2009, c. 407; 2010, cc. 347, 769.)