Chap. 225.—An ACT to authorize and empower the board of supervisors or other
governing body of any county having an area of more than forty and less than
fifty-five square miles of high land, or land above low water line or mark, to
create the office of general registrar; to provide for the appointment of general
registrars, fix their qualifications, compensation and duties; and to provide
for abolishing the office of registrar for the several election districts in such
county, upon the appointment of such general registrar. [S B 160]

Approved March 16, 1940

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That
in any county having an area of more than forty and less than fifty-
five square miles of high land as hereinafter defined, the board of
supervisors or other governing body of such county may, in its dis-
cretion, in the month of May, nineteen hundred and forty, and bien-
nially thereafter, provide by resolution for the creation of the office
of general registrar for such county. Upon receipt of a certified copy
of such resolution by the county electoral board, it shall within thirty
days thereafter appoint such general registrar, who shall be a discreet
citizen, a qualified voter, and resident of the county for which he is
appointed, and shall possess the qualifications prescribed by law for
registrars. The board of supervisors or other governing body of
such county shall furnish such general registrar with a suitable office,
furniture and equipment, prescribe his office hours, and fix his com-
pensation. Any such general registrar so appointed shall hold office for
two years from the first day of July next following his appointment,
and until his successor shall be duly elected and qualified.

The appointment of such general registrar shall automatically
abolish the office of registrar for each and all of the election districts
of such county as provided by law, as of the date of qualification of
said general registrar, and each and every such district registrar shall
thereupon promptly deliver to the said general registrar all the books,
papers and documents pertaining to their offices.

For the purposes of this act, high land means the land in such
county, above the low water line or mark of waters within and adjacent
to the boundaries of said county. | |

Such general registrar shall, before entering upon the duties of
his office, take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed by law for
registrars. His power and duties shall be similar to the power and
duties prescribed by general law for registrars; and all books, papers
and documents belonging to the office of the general registrar shall
be public records and open for inspection during reasonable hours,
provided, however, he shall post in each election district in his county,
the notices required by general law to be posted by registrars in
their respective election districts.

2. An emergency existing, this act shall be in force from its
passage.