George Lincoln Rockwell, head of the American Nazi Party, will be qualified to run as a candidate for Governor of Virginia in the November elections, if the 255 petitioners on his behalf are found to be registered Virginia voters, state authorities ruled today.
Levin Nock Davis, executive secretary of the State Board of Elections, said Rockwell would be qualifired subject to the validity of the names on his petition. The support to 250 qualified voters is required to enter the gubernatorial race in Virginia.
Rockwell’s petitions were signed by 255 citizens who indicated support of the Nazi’s candidacy. Rockwell said he would obtain additional signatories as a precaution, in case some of the names already subititted are found to be unqualified as voters. He filed as an independent candidate, rather than on an openly-proclaimed Nazi Party ticket.
Some surprise was expressed in the state capital that 255 Virginians were apparently willing to advocate a candidate who is notoriously identified with Nazism and anti-Semitism in the state. While an extremist fringe was known to secretly back the Nazi, it was not thought that so many persons would sign their names to his petition.
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