CHAP. 332.—An ACT to provide for sulmission to the people for approval
and ratification the proposed amendment to section 117 of article 8 of
the constitution of Virginia.

Approved March 14, 1912.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall be the duty of the officers conducting the election directed
by law to be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in No-
vember, nineteen hundred and twelve, at the places appointed
for holding the same to provide a separate ballot box at said
election, in which the judges of election shall deposit the bal-
lots of all qualified voters voting on the proposed amendment to
the constitution of Virginia, and open a poll and take the sense
of the qualified voters upon the ratification or rejection of the
said proposed amendment to the constitution of Virginia, con-
tained in a joint resolution proposing the said amendment to the
constitution of Virginia, and directing a submission of .said
proposed amendment to the people for their approval and rati-
fication, to-wit:

Strike out from the constitution of Virginia, section one hun-
dred and seventeen, which is in the words and figures follow-
ing, to-wit:

§117. General laws for the organization and government of
cities and towns shall be enacted by the general assembly, and
no special act shall be passed in relation thereto, except in the
manner provided in article four of this constitution, and then
only by a recorded vote of two-thirds of the members elected to
each house. But each of the cities and towns of the State having
at the time of the adoption of this constitution a municipal char-
ter may retain the same, except so far as it shall be repealed or
amended by the general assembly; provided, that every such
charter is hereby amended so as to conform to all the provisions.
restrictions, limitations and powers set forth in this article, or
otherwise provided in this constitution.

And insert in lieu thereof the following:

§117. General laws for the organization and government of
cities and towns shall be enacted by the general assembly, and
no special act shall be passed in relation thereto, except in the
manner provided in article four of this constitution, and then
only by a recorded vote of two-thirds of the members elected to
each house, and except also in the case of cities having more than
fifty thousand inhabitants as hereinafter provided. But each of
the cities and towns of the State having at the time of the adop-
tion of this amendment a municipal charter may retain the same,
except so far as it shall be repealed or amended by the general
assembly; provided, that every such charter is hereby amended
so as to conform to all the provisions, restrictions and powers set
forth in this article, or otherwise provided in this constitution.

Notwithstanding, however, anything in this article contained,
the general assembly may, by general or by special act (passed
as prescribed in article four of this constitution), depart in any
respect (except as otherwise in this section expressly provided)
from the form of organization and government prescribed by
this article for cities and towns, and may provide from time to
time for the various cities and towns of the commonwealth, such
form or forms of municipal government as the general assembly
may deem best; but no form or forms of government authorized
by the second paragraph of this section shall become operative
except as to such cities or towns as may thereafter adopt the
same by a majority vote of its qualified electors at an election to
be held as may be prescribed therefor by law. All the limitations
on the powefs of the councils of cities and towns imposed by this
article shall apply in like manner to the principal legislative au-
thority under any form of government which may be authorized
hereunder. The term ‘‘council,” as used in sections one hundred
and twenty-five and one hundred and twenty-seven of this con-
stitution shall be construed to include the body which, under any
form of municipal government, shall be vested with the principal
legislative authority of such municipality.

The general assembly, for the purpose of this article, may
classify cities according to their population, but the maximum
population prescribed for any class shall exceed the minimum
for the same class by at least ten thousand. The general assem-
bly, at the request, made in manner which may be prescribed by
law, of any city having a population of over fifty thousand in-
habitants, may grant a special form of government for such city.

_Any laws or charters enacted pursuant to the provisions of
this section shall be subject to the provisions of this constitution
relating expressly to judges and clerks of courts, attorneys for
the commonwealth, commissioners of revenue, city treasurers
and city sergeants.

Schedule.—At such election a ballot shall be furnished each
voter, which shall have printed thereon the following: For the
amendment to section one hundred and seventeen of article eight
of the constitution of Virginia, with reference to the powers of
the general assembly concerning the forms of organization and
government for cities and towns and the classification of cities
according to their population.

Against the amendment to section one hundred and ~even-
teen of article eight of the constitution of Virginia with refer-
ence to the powers of the general assembly concerning the forms
of organization and government for cities and towns and the
classification of cities according to their population.

Which said ballots shall be printed and furnished by the
electoral boards as other ballots are required by law to be printed
and furnished, and the said election shall be held and conducted
as provided by the general election law of the State.

The marking out of the words “for” or “against” shall be
sufficient to indicate the wishes of the voters, and it shall not be
necessary to make out the entire paragraph to indicate such wish.

2. That immediately after closing the polls the said officer
shall count the ballots deposited at said election for and against
said proposed amendment, and shall make returns thereof at the
time and in the manner provided by law, as in the case of other
elections; and it shall be the duty of the clerks and commission-
ers of election of each county, respectively, to make out, certify
and forward an abstract of the votes cast for and against said
proposed amendment in the manner now prescribed by law in re-
lation to votes cast in general election.

3. It shall be the duty of the secretary of the commonwealth,
and of the State board of canvassers, to open and canvass the
said abstract of returns, and to examine and make statement of
the whole number of votes given at said election for said pro-
posed amendment and against said proposed amendment, re-
spectively, in the manner now prescribed by law in relation to
votes cast in general election; and it shall be the duty of the
secretary of the commonwealth to record said certified statement
in his office, and without delay to make out and transmit to the
governor of the commonwealth an official copy of said statement,
certified by him under his seal of office.

4. The governor shall, without delay, make proclamation of the
result, stating therein the aggregate vote for and against said
amendment, to be published in such newspapers in the State as
may be deemed requisite for general information; and if a ma-
jority of said votes be cast for the ratification of the amendment,
he shall annex to his proclamation a copy thereof.

5. The secretary of the commonwealth shall cause to be sent
to the clerks of each county and corporation as many copies of
this act as there are places of voting therein; and it shall be the
duty of said clerks to deliver the same to the sheriff for distribu-
tion, whose duty it shall be forthwith to post the said copies at
some public place in each election district.

6. The expenses incurred in conducting this election shall be
defrayed as in the case of the election of members of the general
assembly.