CHAPTER 207

AN ACT to amend and reenact § 15-351, as amended, of the Code of Vir-
ginia, relating to the election of members of county boards in certain
counties.

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 15-351, as amended, of the Code of Virginia be amended and
reenacted as follows:

§ 15-351. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 15-350 and
15-360, if, in any county operating under the county manager plan pro-
vided for in this chapter, a majority of the qualified voters voting on the
question submitted in the election held as provided in paragraph (e) of this
section shall vote in favor of the election of the members of the county
board and the filling of vacancies on the board as hereinafter provided in
this section, then upon the entry of an order by the circuit court of the
county, or a judge thereof in vacation, setting forth the results of such
election, the members of the county board shall thereafter be elected and
vacancies on the board shall be filled as provided in this section.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), if a majority
of the qualified voters voting in such election vote in favor of the election
of the members of the county board as provided by paragraph (f) hereof
then upon the entry of an order by the circuit court of the county or a
judge thereof in vacation, setting forth the results of the election, the
members of the county board shall thereafter be elected as provided in
paragraph (f) hereof. .

(c) Each of such members shall take office on the first day of January
after his election and shall hold office until his successor is elected and
qualified. Thereafter at each regular November election there shall be
elected one or more members of the county board to succeed the member or
members whose terms expire on or before the first day of January next
succeeding such election; the members so elected shall be elected for terms
of four years each and shall take office on the first day of January next
succeeding their election.

(d) When any vacancy shall occur in the membership of the county
board, the judge of the circuit court of the county shall, if the term of the
office wherein the vacancy exists shall continue for one year or more after
the next succeeding regular November election, issue a writ of election to
fill such vacancy, such election to be held at the next regular November
election. The member so elected shall hold of ice for the unexpired term.

(e) the election to determine whether the members of the county
board shall be elected as provided in paragraph (f) of this section shall
be called and held as follows:

If a petition signed by two hundred or more qualified voters in any
such county shall on or before the first day of * April nineteen hundred *
fifty-eight, be filed with the circuit court of the county, or a judge thereof
in vacation, asking that a referendum be held on such question, the court
or judge shall, on or before the first day of * May, nineteen hundred *
fifty-eight, by an order entered of record, require the election officials of
the county at the time prescribed by law for the next * primary election
to be held in * July, nineteen hundred * fifty-eight, to open a poll and take
the sense of the qualified voters of the county on the questions 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 in the courthouse of the said county. The regular
election officials of the county, at the time designated therein, shall open
the polls at the various voting places in the county and conduct the election
in such manner as is provided 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
i as in other elections. The ballots to be used shall be printed
as follows:
Shall the members of the county board be elected biennially for four
year terms, as provided in paragraph (f) of § 15-351, as amended, of the
Code of Wiggin’

O es

| No

The election shall in all respects be held as provided in § 24-141 of the
Code of Virginia.

(f) If the result of the election held as provided in paragraph (e)
hereof be for the election of the members of the county board as provided
in this paragraph then the provisions of this paragraph shall supersede all
other provisions of this section and the members of the county board shall
be elected as hereinafter set forth.

(1) The successors to the members whose terms expire in nineteen
hundred * fifty-eight shall be elected for terms of * two years; thereafter
all such members shall be elected for four year terms in the November
election of the years in which the terms expire; the terms of members so
so elected shall begin on January one of the year following their election.

(2) Successors to the members whose terms expire in nineteen
hundred * fifty-nine and nineteen hundred sixty-one shall be elected for
terms of three years at the November election in such years, respectively ;
thereafter all such members shall be elected for four year terms in the
November election of the years in which the terms expire; the terms of
members so elected shall begin on the first day of January following
their election.

(8) Successors to the members whose terms expire in nineteen
hundred sixty shall be elected for terms of four years; thereafter all such
members shall be elected for four year terms in the November election of
the years in which the terms expire; the terms of members so elected shall
begin on January one of the year following their election.

(4) Vacancies shall be filled as provided by paragraph (d) hereof.
2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.