Chap. 524.—An ACT to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a new section
numbered 2773-i 3, providing the time of election and terms of office of certain
members of county school boards of certain counties; and providing for an
election to determine the sense of the qualified voters thereon. fH §39)

Approved April 5, 1948

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia be amended by adding thereto a new
section numbered twenty-seven hundred seventy-three i as follows:

Section 2773-i 3 (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section
twenty-seven hundred seventy-three-i two of the Code of Virginia, if,
in any county where the members of the county school board have been
elected by vote of the people under the provisions of section twenty-
seven hundred seventy-three-i two of the Code of Virginia, a majority
of the qualified voters voting in the election held as provided in subsection
(c) of this section shall vote in favor of holding elections for members
of the county school board of such county on the second Tuesday in
May of the odd numbered years instead of at the general election in
the odd numbered years, then upon the entry of an order by the circuit
court of the county, or the judge thereof in vacation, setting forth the
results of such election, the members of the county school board shall
be elected at the time and for the terms as provided in this section.

(b) The members of the county school board shall be elected by
popular vote and elections for members of such board shall be held on
the second Tuesday in May of the odd numbered years. No candidate’s
name shall be placed upon election ballots for school board member
unless he shall fave filed with the county clerk a notice of candi
together with a petition signed by at least fifty qualified voters of the
county witnessed by a person whose affidavit to that effect is attached
to the petition. Such notice and petition shall be filed with the clerk
at least sixty days prior to the First Tuesday in May. The election shall
be non-partisan for offices hereunder and no ballot used in the election
shall have printed thereon any party or political designation or mark
and there shall not be appended to the name any candidate any such party
or political designation or mark or anything showing how he is nominated
or indicating his views or opinions. Members of such county school
board in office when this section takes effect shall hold office for the
terms for which they were elected. Members elected to succeed such
members shall take office on the first day of January following their
election. The terms of office of members elected in the year nineteen hun-
dred forty-nine and subsequent years shall terminate on the thirtieth
day of June of the fourth year following their election, and members
elected to succeed such members shall take office on the first day of July
following their election.

(c) The election to determine whether the members of the county
school board shall be elected at the times in the manner and for the
terms, as provided in this section, shall be called and held as follows:

If two hundred or more qualified voters in any such county shall
on or before the first day of August, nineteen hundred and forty-eight,
file a petition with the circuit court of the county, or the judge thereof
in vacation, asking that a referendum be held on such question, the court
or the judge thereof in vacation, shall, on or before the first day of
September, nineteen hundred and forty-eight, by an order entered
of record, require the election officials of the said county at the regular
election to be held in November, nineteen hundred and forty-eight, to
open a poll and take the sense of the qualified voters of the county on the
question as herein provided. The clerk of the county shall cause a notice
of such election to Be published in some newspaper, published or having
a general circulation in the county, once a week for three consecutive
weeks, and shall post a copy of such notice at the door of the court
house of the said county. The regular election officials of the county, at
the time designated herein, shall open the polls at the various voting
places in the county and conduct the election in such manner as is pro-
vided by law for other elections, in so far as the same is applicable. The
election shall be by separate ballot, which shall be prepared by the
electoral board and distributed to the various election precincts as in
other elections.

d) The ballots to be used shall be printed to read as follows:
hall a non-partisan election for members of the county school board
be held on the second Tuesday in May of the odd numbered years
instead of at nS general election in the odd numbered years?
es
No

The squares to be printed in such ballot shall not be less than one
quarter nor more than one-half inch in size.

Any person voting at such election shall place a check (\/) or a
cross mark (++ or X) oraline (—) in the square before the appropriate
word indicating how he desires to vote on the question submitted.

The ballots shall be counted, returns made and canvassed as in
other elections and the results certified by the commissioners of election
to the circuit court of the county or the judge thereof in vacation. The
said court, or the judge thereof in vacation, shall thereupon enter of
record the results of such election.

2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.