Virginia Code 24.2-1000: Intimidation and threats toward election officials; penalty
A. Any person who, by bribery, intimidation, threats, coercion, or other means in violation of the election laws willfully and intentionally hinders or prevents, or attempts to hinder or prevent, an election official or the employee of an election official from administering elections pursuant to this title is guilty of a Class 5 felony.
Attorney's Note
Under the Virginia Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class 5 felony | up to 10 years | up to $2,500 |
Terms Used In Virginia Code 24.2-1000
- Board: means the State Board of Elections. See Virginia Code 24.2-101
- Department: means the state agency headed by the Commissioner of Elections. See Virginia Code 24.2-101
- Election: means a general, primary, or special election. See Virginia Code 24.2-101
- General registrar: means the person appointed by the electoral board of a county or city pursuant to § Virginia Code 24.2-101
- Includes: means includes, but not limited to. See Virginia Code 1-218
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
B. For purposes of this section:
“Election official” includes members of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, members of local electoral boards, general registrars, deputy registrars, and officers of election.
“Employee of an election official” includes persons employed by the Department of Elections or in the office of a general registrar.
Code 1950, § 24-191; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-264; 1993, c. 641; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 528, 533; 2024, c. 787.