The Rockingham County Electoral Board will send a letter on Friday requesting the Commonwealth Attorney’s help to collect campaign-related fines from Rockingham County School Board District 3 candidate Matt Cross.
Cross, who is running for his second term on the school board, was fined $9,200 in July for failing to file campaign finance reports dating back to 2021.
According to the Virginia Board of Elections website, any unpaid civil penalties that are 60 days or more past due can then be sent to the Commonwealth’s Attorney to initiate civil proceedings to enforce those penalties.
The board unanimously voted Monday morning during a regular meeting to contact Commonwealth Attorney Marsha Garst and request that she handle the matter.
Cross has not tried to contact her office regarding a letter sent to his campaign committee about the penalties, nor has he paid the fines, said Director of Elections Lisa Gooden.
Cross did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cross was fined for failing to file campaign finance reports for his first and second campaigns, according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The campaign finance reports must show the donations his campaign has received and how those funds are spent.
Cross failed to report twice during his first campaign—on December 2, 2021, and January 18, 2022. He submitted those reports on March 1, 2022. He was fined $1,100 for these violations.
He was then fined $8,100 for failing to report on nine other reports dating from July 15, 2022, to July 15, 2025.
According to the certified letter the electoral board sent to Cross regarding his fines, they were filed on July 17, 2025, one day before the letter was sent.
Cross was sent 22 reminders during that time to file his reports.
While Cross did not respond to the Electoral Board after being fined, he did issue a statement to WHSV-TV, saying in part, “There was no attempt by the state to reach me by telephone or by mail in reference to my late filings, but I also take responsibility for not changing my email with the state….I look forward to presenting my case before the state board of elections.”
At Monday’s meeting, board chair David McQuilkin asked about how frequently such actions are taken against other candidates. Secretary of the board Susan Threewitts said they have had to take this action before, but not “to this magnitude.”
Gooden told the electoral board that she was following Virginia law in issuing the penalties.
“Those penalties are set by the state department of elections,” Gooden told the electoral board. “I’m not pulling numbers out of my head, you know, this is from the state.”
Rebecca Ruckman, the board’s vice chair, said in response to a question about her thoughts on the matter that she agreed with sending the letter.
“Well, I think if he hasn’t responded, he hasn’t taken care of what he needs to be taking care of, and we don’t have a choice,” Ruckman said.
Thanks for reading The Citizen, which won the Virginia Press Association’s 2022 News Sweepstakes award as the top online news site in Virginia. We’re independent. We’re local. We pay our contributors, and the money you give goes directly to the reporting. No overhead. No printing costs. Just facts, stories and context. We value your support.
