Virginia elections, 2009

The following offices will be up for election in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia in the November 2009 general election:

*Three statewide offices – Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General – for four-year terms
*Virginia House of Delegates, the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly (100 seats), for two-year terms
*Four local constitutional officers each in the larger independent cities – Sheriff, Commonwealth's Attorney, Treasurer, Commissioner of the Revenue – for four-year terms

chedule of election related events

"(The following dates are projected based on requirements of state law and existing schedules. The Virginia State Board of Elections will issue a final schedule in January 2009.)"

*March 11 – Deadline for political party officials to request primary elections from the State Board of Elections
*April 10 – Filing deadline for primary election candidates
*May 11 – Voter registration deadline for primary election
*June 2 – Application deadline for primary election mail-in absentee ballot
*June 6 – Application deadline for primary election in-person absentee ballot
*June 9 – Primary elections; deadline for parties to select candidates by non-primary methods; filing deadline for independent candidates
*October 13 – Voter registration deadline for general election
*October 27 – Application deadline for general election mail-in absentee ballot
*October 31 – Application deadline for general election in-person absentee ballot
*November 3 – General election

In addition, candidates must file campaign finance reports with the state or local election boards at certain specified intervals during the campaign year. [cite web | title = Code of Virginia § 24.2-947.6. Filing schedule for candidates for office; November elections. | url = http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+TOC24020000009000030000000 | accessdate = 2008-08-16] The three incumbent statewide officeholders and members of the General Assembly are barred by law from fundraising during the annual session of the General Assembly, from mid-January through roughly the end of February. [cite web | title = Code of Virginia § 24.2-954. Campaign fundraising; legislative session; penalties. | url = http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+24.2-954 | accessdate = 2008-08-20]

Sufficiently large political parties (in practice, the Democratic and Republican parties) have the option of nominating candidates in primary elections. Nominees not chosen in primaries are selected in a caucus or convention process. Incumbent members of Congress and the General Assembly have the option of choosing their party's nominating method for their office; otherwise, the decision is made by a committee of party officials from the jurisdiction involved.

Persons 18 years old or older on the general election date (born on or before November 3, 1991) may register and vote in both the primary and general elections. Voters in Virginia do not register by party; they have the option of voting in any one party's primary, and may switch at will from one election to the next.

Issues

Reapportionment

In 2011 the General Assembly will redraw district boundaries for seats in the United States House of Representatives, the Senate of Virginia, and the House of Delegates, based on results of the 2010 United States Census. This is a highly partisan process, which can determine the balance of power in those bodies for up to ten years. There are three major players in the process:

*Senate – barring death or resignation, the current senators will still be in office in 2011. Democrats currently have a 21-19 majority.
*House of Delegates – Republicans have a 54-44 majority with 2 independents. The 2009 election will determine control in 2011.
*Governor – the incumbent, Democrat Tim Kaine, is not allowed to serve successive terms.

Declared candidates

The following persons have officially announced their candidacies, or created fundraising committees, for the 2009 statewide office elections;

Governor

"Main article: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2009

*Creigh Deeds, Democrat from Bath County – Senator since 2002 following 10 years in the House; unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Attorney General in 2005
*Bob McDonnell, Republican from Virginia Beach – Attorney General; defeated Deeds in a 2005 race that required a recount
*Brian Moran, Democrat from Alexandria – 7 term House member and House Democratic caucus chair; younger brother of U.S. Representative Jim Moran

Lieutenant Governor

*Bill Bolling, Republican from Hanover County – incumbent; previously a Senator for 10 years
*Jon Bowerbank, Democrat from Russell County – energy industry engineer/entrepreneur; won election as county supervisor in 2007 by running as an independent, defeating a Democrat and a Republican, then declared party preference [cite web | title = November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results, Russell County | publisher = Virginia State Board of Elections | url = https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2007/196E44FA-8B19-4240-9A44-737216DAA55D/Unofficial/00_167_s.shtml | accessdate = 2008-08-21]
*Jody Wagner, Democrat from Virginia Beach – state Secretary of Finance who resigned on August 8, 2008 to run [cite news | last = Walker | first = Julian | title = Jody Wagner announces bid for lieutenant governor in 2009 | work = The Virginian-Pilot | page = 3, Hampton Roads section | date = 2008-08-16 | url = http://hamptonroads.com/node/476594 | accessdate = 2008-08-16] ; previously State Treasurer; unsuccessful Democratic candidate in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District in 2000

Attorney General

*John Brownlee, Republican from Roanoke – United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia who resigned on May 16, 2008 to run [cite web | title = Breaking News: John Brownlee Announces Press Conference for May 20, 2008 to Announce Plans to Run for Virginia Attorney General | publisher = Virginia Qui Tam Law.com | date = 2008-05-19 | url = http://vaquitamlaw.com/2008/05/19/breaking-news--john-brownlee-announces-press-conference-for-may-20-2008-to-announce-plans-to-run-for-virginia-attorney-general.aspx | accessdate = 2008-08-16 ]
*Ken Cuccinelli, Republican from Fairfax County – Senator since 2002
*David M. Foster, Republican from Arlington – former county school board chair; antitrust lawyer with Fulbright & Jaworski in Washington, D.C. [cite news | last = Kumar | first = Anita | title = Arlington's Foster May Run for Attorney General | work = The Washington Post | date = 2008-05-01 | url = http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2008/05/arlingtons_foster_may_run_for.html | accessdate = 2008-08-16]

Undeclared candidates

*Terry McAuliffe, Democrat from Fairfax County, rumored candidate for Governor – political consultant, former Democratic National Committee chair, recently Presidential campaign manager for Hillary Clinton; has made comments about running during and since the 2008 Democratic National Convention; website set up soon afterward for a McAuliffe draft movement [cite news | last = Craig | first = Tim | title = Democrats' Governor Nominee to Be Chosen in Primary | work = The Washington Post | date = 2008-09-14 | page = C08 | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/13/AR2008091302285.html | accessdate = 2008-09-29]
*C. Richard 'Dickie' Cranwell, Democrat from Roanoke County – Democratic Party of Virginia state chair; House member 1972-2002, House Democratic leader 1992-2002; currently floating rumors about running for either Attorney General or, more likely, Lieutenant Governor [cite web | last = Paige | first = Vivian | title = Cranwell: LG or AG? | date = 2008-08-07 | url = http://blog.vivianpaige.com/2008/08/07/cranwell-lg-or-ag/ | accessdate = 2008-08-16]
*Steve Shannon, Democrat from Fairfax County, running for Attorney General – House member since 2002; former assistant Commonwealth's Attorney; is going around the state seeking support but has yet to launch a campaign committee as of mid-August 2008 [cite web |last = Vieth | first = Peter | title = Shannon running for Democrats’ AG nod | work = Virginia Lawyers Weekly | date = 2008-08-04 | url = http://www.valawyersweekly.com/weeklyedition/2008/08/04/shannon-running-for-democrats’-ag-nod/ | accessdate = 2008-08-14]

Notes

References

* [http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+TOC2402000 Code of Virginia, Title 24.2 – Elections]
* [http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/documents/08NOV_CAL.pdf Virginia State Board of Elections: 2008 Election Calendar]
* [http://www.vpap.org Virginia Public Access Project]

External links

*Campaign websites
** [http://www.billbolling.com Bill Bolling: Lieutenant Governor of Virginia]
** [http://www.jonbowerbank.com Jon Bowerbank: Lieutenant Governor, Virginia 2009]
** [http://www.johnbrownlee2009.com John Brownlee for Virginia Attorney General]
** [http://www.cuccinelli.com Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General]
** [http://www.deedsforvirginia.com Deeds for Virginia]
** [http://www.draftterry.com Draft Terry McAuliffe for Virginia Governor]
** [http://www.bobmcdonnell.com Bob McDonnell: Virginia's Attorney General]
** [http://www.brianmoran.com Brian Moran: Leadership for Virginia's Future]
** [http://www.jodyforva.com Jody Wagner for Virginia]