TITLE 1. ADMINISTRATION

STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS

Notice of Intended Regulatory Amendment

Notice is hereby given in accordance with § 2.2-4007.01 of the Code of Virginia that the State Board of Elections intends to consider amending 1VAC20-90, Campaign Finance and Political Advertisements. Chapters 535 and 537 of the 2025 Acts of Assembly direct the Department of Elections to promulgate regulations prohibiting the use of campaign funds for personal use and establishing a procedure for requesting advisory opinions related to uses of campaign funds from the State Board of Elections. The purpose of the proposed action is to adopt for Virginia regulations substantially similar to existing federal regulations on the personal use of campaign funds and the availability of advisory opinions. The proposed regulations being considered depart from federal counterparts regarding vehicle and travel reimbursements, the likelihood of candidates and officeholders having outside income due to Virginia's part-time legislature, and other differences between the relevant federal and Virginia statutes. The goal of the regulation is to clarify the boundaries between permissible and impermissible uses of campaign funds, eliminate avenues for corruption and fraudulent self-enrichment, and provide the legal framework for enforcement.

The agency intends to hold a public hearing on the proposed action after publication in the Virginia Register.

Statutory Authority: § 24.2-103 of the Code of Virginia.

Public Comment Deadline: June 3, 2026

Agency Contact: Nathan Joyner, Program Administrative Specialist II, Virginia Department of Elections, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 864-8901, or email nathan.joyner@elections.virginia.gov.