Schmookler submits ballot petitions

The Andy Schmookler for Congress campaign faced an unusual challenge, and met it with room to spare.

Candidates seeking to be on a congressional primary ballot in Virginia must gather 1,000 signatures from registered voters in the district. While most candidates began gathering signatures Jan. 1, the decision to hold a Democratic primary in the Sixth Congressional District did not occur until Feb. 21 due to uncertainty over redistricting.

With the clock ticking, Schmookler asked his supporters for help. More than 80 grassroots volunteers responded and helped with the petitioning.

And yesterday – the deadline set by the Virginia Board of Elections – Schmookler’s campaign submitted 234 notarized petitions, containing more than twice the required number of signatures.

?”Our success in vastly surpassing expectations is due to these incredible volunteers who went above and beyond what we asked,” Schmookler wrote yesterday in an email to supporters announcing the accomplishment.

In that email, Schmookler expressed gratitude “for all the wonderful volunteers who rallied to help this campaign meet this unexpected challenge with unanticipated energy.”

The Democratic Party of Virginia has until 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, to notify the State Board of Elections whether the Schmookler campaign submitted enough valid signatures to qualify to be on the primary ballot.

If Schmookler qualifies, he will officially become the Democratic nominee for the Sixth Congressional District seat because no other candidates filed. The seat is currently held by Bob Goodlatte (R-Roanoke).

Schmookler is already looking ahead to the general election.

“A campaign that can get so much done in so little time,” Schmookler said, referring to the petition drive, “is a campaign that may well surprise people again in November.