It looks like the counties, cities, and towns pay the cost of elections - not the state. http://leg1.state.va...?000+cod+24.2-600

I dunno enough about the law to have a legal opinion though. The statutes start here - http://leg1.state.va...00006000000000000 but I'm not even sure if Primaries are under that section.

IANAL, of course.

Cheers,
Scott.