Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia State Board of Elections, Campaign Finance Division, Campaign Expense Reports, 1992-2007. Accession 44898. State Records Collection, The Library of Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Virginia State Board of Elections, Campaign Finance Division, Nancy Rodrigues, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond, VA 23216, transferred 14 April 2010 and accessioned 16 April 2010.

Processing Information

This collection has been processed using minimal processing standards: the original arrangement has been maintained, the container list is brief and simple, and the records have not been refoldered and fasteners have not been removed.

Historical Information

The State Board of Elections was created by an act of the General Assembly passed on March 26 1946. The act granted the board supervisory powers earlier exercised by the secretary of the commonwealth and the Board of State Canvassers over elections. The primary functions of the State Board of Elections are to supervise and coordinate the work of county and city electoral boards and of registrars to obtain uniformity in election proceedings and legality in all elections.

The State Board of Elections consists of three members who are appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. A majority of the Board is appointed from the political party which cast the highest number of votes in the Commonwealth for Governor at the last preceding gubernatorial election. The regular term of office is four years, and no member of the Board except the secretary is eligible for more than two successive terms.

The Board issues rules and regulations to guide the work of the electoral boards and registrars. The Board is empowered to remove from office any election official who fails to discharge the duties of his office, and it may request assistance from the office of the Attorney General to enforce election laws or prosecute any violations.

The Board is also responsible for establishing and maintaining a central record-keeping system to provide a roster of all qualified voters in the Commonwealth by county or city and by the precincts within each county or city. The roster must be purged regularly to delete the names of disqualified voters.

Scope and Content

The Virginia State Board of Elections, Campaign Finance Division, Campaign Expense Reports, are housed in 30 box and are divided into four series. Series have been designated for: I. Political Action Committees (PACs), 2003-2007; II. Virginia House of Delegates, 1993-2005; III. Virginia State Senate, 1992-2003; and IV. Statewide, 2001 and 2005. These records consist of correspondence, and Fair Elections Practices Act (FEPA) reports, statements and forms, including reports of campaign contributions, itemization of contributions, itemization of expenditures, itemization of loans received and repaid, obligations remaining unpaid, and reports of receipts and expenditures for a candidate or committee supporting candidates for nomination or election to state office. The campaign expense accounts document the sources and amount of funding for all candidates running for office in Virginia. These accounts are divided into reports of individual candidates and reports of political action committees (PAC).

Candiate Expense Reports are available on-line at the State Board of Elections web site for all candidates for the Virginia General Assembly and for statewide office, beginning with the November 2001 general election. Political Action Committee Reports (PACs) are available on-line only for those political committees that e-file with the State Board of Elections.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series: