(CNN) - Three candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination won't appear on the ballot in Virginia after failing to gather the 10,000 signatures required to compete in the March 6 primary.
According to a spokesman for the Virginia State Board of Elections, the only candidates to file the necessary paperwork were former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Texas Rep. Ron Paul.
That leaves three current candidates, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, without a place on the Virginia ballot.
In a statement, the Virginia Republican Party confirmed they had received the four petitions from the elections board, and said they would begin tallying the signatures Friday morning.
Virginia's ballot requirements are far more stringent than other states. The commonwealth requires candidates gather 10,000 signatures from registered Virginia supporters, and must ensure that at least 400 of those signatures come from each of Virginia's eleven Congressional districts.
Gingrich, who lives in a Virginia suburb of Washington, told a crowd Wednesday his campaign had gathered anywhere from 12,000-14,000 signatures, clearing the threshold to appear on the ballot. Sources said many of his campaign staff gathering the signatures were paid, while not unusual, an indication of the urgency of the effort.
From CNN Politics
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looks like mitt and perry are the only organized people.
Bachmann don't go away mad. Just go away!!!!!
Looks like Ron Paul will take another State come Super Tuesday..
Ron Paul 2012
I don't blame Virginia electoral board. They are all a waste of time
Obama=Romney=Gingrich=Perry= More wars, More debt, More Bailouts, More invasion of Privacy
Glad to hear the anti-war, anti-bailout candidate Ron Paul will be on the Virginia ballot! Ron Paul 2012!
With Bachmann, Huntsman and Santorum not on the ballot, it will just making counting the vote easier.
Don't much matter now does it ? They are all a ten million to one shot anyways.
Too funny! Who'll be the first to drop out?
They were never serious candidates.
I hope that this doesn't hurt Huntsman. He needs all the support he can get. Bachmann and Santorium won't make it. It is also a sad fact that Huntsman won't make it either because the GOP can see a reasonable candidate if it bit them on the nose.
Oh well. Guess their supporters will have to hope for a write in.
If all else fails we write Santorum on the ballot! Or type in his name.
Well that should be an indication of who's going to move forward from March 6th. Like Hunstman the other two should drop out.
I love Bachman "I'm a serious candidate for President of the United States", and you can't even get on the ballot of one of the primaries?