Virginia Governor

Description

The Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office in Virginia. The Governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and has no life-term term limit, however he cannot serve consecutive terms. The governor is responsible for ensuring that the laws of the state are faithfully executed and is responsible for the safety of the state, as he serves as commander-in-chief of the Virginia Militia. The governor must convene the legislature when two-thirds of each house calls for a special session. Other duties and privileges of the office include: The governor makes an address to the legislature at least once during each regular session concerning the state of the Commonwealth and containing his recommendations; The governor has the legislative power to submit recommendations and to call special sessions when he finds them necessary; The governor has veto powers over bills and appropriations. All bills must be sent to the governor before becoming law; The governor may sign the bill, let it sit unsigned for seven days after which it becomes law, or veto the legislation. After a veto, the bill returns to its house of origin and may be overridden by two-thirds of the vote in each house; The governor also has the power to use a line-item veto. He may send legislation back to the legislature with recommendations and amendments, including severable amendments. The legislature must either approve the changes by a majority in each house, or override the veto with a two-thirds majority in each house; The governor is commander-in-chief of Virginia's armed forces; The governor may also communicate with other states and foreign powers; The governor has the power to fill vacancies in positions unless the position is appointed by the legislature; The governor may commute fines or sentences and issue pardons, excepting cases when the conviction was made by the House of Delegates. The governor may also restore voting rights and overturn other political penalties on individuals. The salary for this position is $175,000/year.

Application Guidelines

To file for this position follow these three steps: 1) Contact the Virginia Department of Elections to confirm that your registered address qualifies you for the position you intend to run for, and that you meet other office specific qualifications. Obtain the appropriate candidate filing forms. 2) Complete the required candidacy paperwork including a Statement of Organization, a Certificate of Candidate Qualification, a Declaration of Candidacy, a Petition of Qualified Voters, a Statement of Economic Interests and a Filing Fee. Next, if you are running as an independent, file these papers with the Virginia Department of Elections. If you plan to run as a partisan candidate please contact your local party headquarters for additional information. The location to file the forms listed above varies depending on the type of district you are running as a candidate in, please contact the Virginia Department of elections to confirm the correct location to file these forms. 3) Submit the filing paperwork by the filing deadline, which is the the 2nd Tuesday in June at 7:00pm for independent candidates. The Virginia Department of Elections, which serves as the point of contact for any questions or concerns you may have, can be reached by phone at (804) 864-8901 or by email at [email protected]. Another source for candidate information is your local general registrat. Local general registrat contact information can be found here: https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup The 2015 candidates guide for state assembly positions can be found here: http://elections.virginia.gov/Files/BecomingACandidate/CandidateBulletins/2015Nov_GA.pdf The 2016 candidates guide for running for U.S. Representative can be found here: http://elections.virginia.gov/Files/BecomingACandidate/CandidateBulletins/2016Nov_USHouseBulletin.pdf

Submit application to:
Virginia State Board of Elections, 1100 Bank St, Richmond, VA, 23219, US