RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Seven Republicans filed to run in Virginia’s 2024 presidential primary on Super Tuesday, but only five will be on the GOP ballot.
The list includes former President Donald Trump, the frontrunner in polls, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (R), per Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Rich Anderson.
The candidates had to submit 5,000 signatures, with at least 200 coming from each of the state’s 11 congressional districts, to the Virginia Department of Elections by Dec. 14 to be on the ballot for the March 5, 2024, primary.
Even though candidates file petition signatures with the state, it doesn’t mean they make it on the ballot. After getting the petitions, the Virginia Republican and Democratic parties have until Dec. 19 to file forms certifying the candidates who met the requirements to be on the ballot.
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who suspended his campaign in November, and pastor Ryan Binkley also submitted petition signatures to be on the GOP primary ballot but were not certified by the state party, Anderson told 8News.
President Joe Biden and two Democrats who launched longshot bids to challenge him, Rep. Dean Phillips (Minn.) and author Marianne Williamson, filed paperwork to run, the elections department said.
Shyam Raman, the executive director for the Democratic Party of Virginia, told 8News on Friday that the certification process isn’t complete yet, but he doesn’t expect issues with any of the candidates’ paperwork.
Virginia is one of more than a dozen states that will vote on Super Tuesday — March 5 for the 2024 presidential primaries. Super Tuesday is seen as the biggest single day on the primary calendar because it’s when candidates can win the largest number of delegates for their party’s nomination.
Third-party candidates have until Aug. 23, 2024, to file paperwork with the state to be on the Nov. 5, 2024, general election ballot.
Early voting for Virginia’s 2024 presidential primaries starts Jan. 19, 2024.
