Virginia Judge Dismisses Legal Challenge to Election Certification
A Virginia judge dismissed a legal challenge on Friday that sought to prevent the certification of Democratic Sen. Ghazala Hashmi’s election. The challenge claimed that Hashmi did not meet the state’s residency requirements. Retired judge Jan L. Brodie made the decision from the bench after a hearing in Chesterfield Circuit Court where it was alleged that Hashmi was not complying with the requirement that candidates live in the district they represent.
The petitioners argued that Hashmi had not abandoned her family home where her husband continued to live, despite renting an apartment in the district she was elected to represent. They claimed that Hashmi was falsifying her residency and therefore ineligible to serve in the General Assembly. However, Brodie rejected their arguments, stating that Hashmi had established a domicile at the apartment and that the petitioners had not met their burden of proof.
Hashmi testified that the apartment was the center of her personal and professional life, despite occasionally spending nights at the family home to care for her husband. She had changed her voter registration and driver’s license to reflect the new address.
The decision by the judge was met with mixed reactions, with Hashmi expressing gratitude for the court’s ruling, while the petitioners’ attorney expressed disappointment. The case highlighted the complexities of Virginia’s residency requirements, especially after the most recent redistricting process created challenges for many incumbents. Hashmi, who plans to buy a home in the district she represents, has served in the state Senate since 2020 and recently won reelection against her Republican opponent.
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