How VPAP lists write-in candidates
An unusual situation involving a General Assembly incumbent who failed to qualify for the November 5 ballot has prompted the Virginia Public Access Project to adopt a policy about when it will include write-in candidates on its site.
"To be honest, write-in candidates have not been something we've had to deal with in the 22 years that VPAP has been tracking Virginia elections," said David M. Poole, VPAP's executive director.
That changed this year. There are unusual situations where incumbent office holders who are seeking re-election despite the fact their names will not appear on the November 5 ballot.
- In House District 30, Del. Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) did not make the ballot because he missed a deadline for candidate paperwork.
- In Prince William County, Supervisor Frank Principi (D-Woodbridge) did not advance to the November general election after his defeat in a June primary.
VPAP's decision to include Freitas in the list of House candidates was noted this week by some Democrats, who believe Freitas should not be listed at all.
VPAP staff has listened to the feedback, but stands by its decision to include Freitas. While it's true his name will not be on the ballot, Freitas is undeniably running for re-election. He is raising money, something VPAP will continue to track as part of its core mission. A literal recitation of the sample ballot would not provide our visitors with a full story of what is unfolding in House District 30.
That said, could we have done a better job in how write-ins are displayed and explained on our site? Absolutely.
On the House District 30 landing page, VPAP had this notation next to Freitas' name: "Write-in Candidate; Failed to Qualify for Ballot"
Today, VPAP made the following changes to clarify Freitas' status:
- In the grid listing all House races, VPAP moved Freitas from the Republican column to the column for "other" candidates. This recognizes he is not the official GOP nominee.
- On the HD30 landing page, Freitas is no longer listed as the Republican nominee.
Going forward, VPAP has adopted this policy with regards to whether or not to list candidates:
- The candidate has publicly announced a write-in campaign.
- Within 30 days of Election Day, the candidate files a "statement of organization" with the Virginia Department of Elections stating his or her intent to raise and spend campaign contributions.
- A state candidate has reported at least 40 donors and a local candidate has reported at least 20 donors.
- The write-in candidate is running for an office for which VPAP is keeping a list of candidates who otherwise qualified for the ballot.
We appreciate the feedback readers have provided. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions, particularly in identifying other write-in candidates who fit our criteria for inclusion.
Aug. 27, 2019
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