CHAP. 231.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 15 of an act of the
general assembly of Virginia, approved March 14, 1906, entitled “an
act to amend and re-enact an act of the general assembly of Virginia,
in force January 21, 1884, entitled ‘an act providing a charter for
the city of Norfolk, and repealing the existing charter, approved
April 21, 1882, as amended by the several acts of the general as-
sembly of Virginia, approved, respectively, April 6, 1887, April 28,
1887, May 14, 1887, February 14, 1900, February 21, 1900, February
26, 1900, February 2, 1901, February 15, 1901, March 15, 1902; and
to define the boundaries of the said city of Norfolk, as extended by
the several acts of the general assembly, approved April 6, 1887,
February 22, 1890, and March 14, 1902, and by an order of the circuit
court of Norfolk county, which was entered on the ninth day of
January, 1906.”

Approved March 18, 1912.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
section fifteen of an act of the general assembly of Virginia,
approved March fourteenth, nineteen hundred and six, entitled
‘an act to amend and re-enact an act of the general assembly
of Virginia, in force January twenty-first, eighteen hundred and
eighty-four, entitled an act providing a charter for the city of
Norfolk, and repealing the existing charter, approved April
twenty-first, eighteen hundred and eighty-two, as amended by
the several acts of the general assembly of Virginia, approved,
respectively, April sixth, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven,
April twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, May
fourteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, February four-
teenth, nineteen hundred, February twenty-first, nineteen hun-
dred, February twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred, February
second, nineteen hundred and one, February fifteenth, nineteen
hundred and one, March fifteenth, nineteen hundred and two;
and to define the boundaries of the said city of Norfolk, as ex-
tended by the several acts of the general assembly, approved
April sixth, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, February twenty-
second, eighteen hundred and ninety, and March fourteenth,
nineteen hundred and two, and by an order of the circuit court
of Norfolk county, which was entered on the ninth day of Jan-
uary, nineteen hundred and six,’”’ be amended and re-enacted so
as to read as follows:

S15. An election for members of the city council shall be
held on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and six,
and biennially thereafter. The common council shall be com-
posed of not less than ten nor more than forty members, and
the board of aldermen shall be composed of not less than five
nor more than thirty members. The members of each branch
of said council shall be residents of their respective wards and
qualified voters therein, and shall be elected by the qualified
voters of such wards; and, so far as practicable, each ward shall
have equal representation in the council, and in each branch
thereof, in proportion to the population of such ward. The mem-
bers of each branch of the council shall be elected for a term
of four years, but upon the first assembling under this act, on
or after September first, nineteen hundred and six, of each
branch of the council, and upon the first assembling of each
branch of the council elected after any change in the boundaries
of all the wards of the city, or after any reapportionment of the
representation in the council among the wards of the city where-
by the representation in the council from all of said wards is
changed, the members of each branch of the council, from each
ward shall be divided into two equal classes, to be determined by
lot, and the term of the members of the first class shall be two
years, and that of the members of the second class shall be four
years, and thereafter the terms of all members of each class
shall be four years, except that in case any ward shall have
ony one member in each branch of the council, the member
from such ward in the common council shall be a member
of the first class, and the member from the said ward in the
board of aldermen shall be in the second class; provided, how-
ever, that in case the total membership of a branch from a ward
is uneven, provision may be made in such division into classes
for the assignment of the odd number to one of such classes;
and provided, further, that in case the representation from any
ward in either branch of the council shall be either increased or
decreased from any cause, that branch in which the change may
occur shall, at its first meeting in September next succeeding the
election of councilmen after such change, divide all the members
so elected at such election for said branch from such ward, in-
cluding those members in said branch from said ward holding
over, into classes, as hereinbefore provided, and in case, upon
rearranging the said members of the council from said ward into
classes, any member holding over shall fall into the second class,
the term of such member shall be continued for an additional
term of two years; and provided, further, that in case the bounda-
ries of all the wards of the city shall at any time be changed, or a
reapportionment be made of the representation in the council
among the wards of the city, as authorized by law, whereby the
representation in the council from all of said wards is changed,
each branch of the council shall, at its first meeting in September
after the election of councilmen in accordance with the provision
made for representation caused by such change of boundaries
or reapportionment, divide the members elected to each branch
of the council, as hereinbefore provided; and provided, further,
that whenever a reapportionment is made of the representation
in the council among the wards of the city, whereby the repre-
sentation in the council from all of said wards is changed, or
whenever the boundaries of all wards of the city shall at any
time be changed, the terms of all the members of said council,
and of each branch thereof, holding office at the time of such
reapportionment or change of boundaries, shall expire on the
thirty-first day of August next succeeding the election of mem-
bers of the council provided for in such reapportionment, or
change of boundaries. The said council shall provide by ordi-
nance the number of members which each branch shall have,
so that the same shall not be more than the maximum or less
than the minimum number provided for herein, and to apportion
the same among the wards of the city according to law. In the
event of any change in the boundaries of all the wards of the
city, or of any reapportionment of the representation in the
council among the wards of the city, the members of the council
then provided for, shall be elected at the next regular election
for members of the city council, as hereinbefore provided, occur-
ring after such change of boundaries or reapportionment, and
their terms of office shall begin on the first day of September
next succeeding.

2. As it may be desired to change the boundaries of all the
wards of the city of Norfolk, and to reapportion the representa-
tion in the council among the wards of said city, so as to reduce
the number of members of the council, and as no election for
members of the council of said city will be held until the second
Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and fourteen, except that to
be held on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and
twelve, at which the members of the council provided for in any
such change of boundaries of all the wards of the city, or in any
such reapportionment of the representation in the council among
the wards of the city, may be elected, and as it may be desired
to elect the members of the council provided for in any such
change of boundaries or reapportionment at the election for mem-
bers of the council to be held in said city on the second Tuesday
in June, nineteen hundred and twelve, this act is hereby declared
to be an emergency act within the meaning of section fifty-three
of the constitution, and shall be in force from its passage.