RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A drawing by the state Board of Elections puts Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul first on the ballot for Virginia’s March 6 primary.

Mitt Romney will appear second on the ballot. Paul and Romney are the only GOP presidential candidates who have qualified for Virginia’s ballot.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the board held the drawing Wednesday.

At the request of the state GOP, the board voted to close the primary. A voter who wants to cast a primary ballot must first sign a pledge of intent to support the Republican nominee in November.

Republican Rick Perry filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday in an attempt to get his name on Virginia’s ballot. Perry failed to collect the required 10,000 signatures.

Newt Gingrich also failed to gather enough signatures.

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Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, https://www.timesdispatch.com

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