Chap. 361.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 581 and 585 of the Cod
Virginia, as heretofore amended.

Approved December 10, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That secti
five hundred and eighty-one and five hundred and eighty-five of the C
of Virginia as heretofore amended, be amended and re-enacted so as
read as follows:

§ 581. Upon what petition court may order election in county, distr
or city; notice to be posted thirty days: by whom election held; after
election, two years must elapse before another.—Whenever such of
qualified voters of each magisterial district in a county or of any ma,

73
terial district in a county or of a city as shall be equal in number to
one-fourth of the number of the persons voting at the preceding regular
November election in such county, district or corporation shall, in term or
vacation, petition the judge of the circuit or corporation court of such
county or corporation for a special election in such county, district or cor-
poration on the question of granting or not granting a liquor license there-
in, such court or judge shall, within ten days after the receipt of said peti-
tion, issue a writ of election, in which shall be fixed the day of holding such
election, directed to the sheriff of his county or sergeant of his corpora-
tion, as the case may be, whose duty it shall be to forthwith post a notice
of said election at each voting precinct in said county, if the election
is to be held in the whole county, or at each voting precinct in any
magisterial district when the election is ordered to be held only in such
magisterial district, or at each voting precinct in said corporation. He
shall also give notice to the officers charged with the duty of conducting
other elections in said county, magisterial district or city, as the case
may be; but no election shall be held under this chapter within less than
thirty days from the posting of such notices as aforesaid. Said special
elections shall be held and conducted as other special elections are held
and conducted. But no election hereunder shall be deemed to include
any town of one thousand inhabitants or over, nor shall the voters resid-
ing therein vote at such election within such magisterial district, unless
said town shall desife to avail itself of the provisions of this chapter in
accordance with section five hundred and eighty-five. If it appears
from the abstracts and returns that a majority of the votes cast at such
election were against liquor license, no license shall be granted for the
sale of wine, spirituous or malt liquors, or any mixture thereof, within
such county, magisterial district or corporation.

After any such election has been held in any county, magisterial dis-
trict or city there shall not be another election under this chapter held
in said county, magisterial district or city within two years.

§ 585. How elections ordered in a town; if a majority against license,
none is to be granted.—If any town of not less. than one thousand
inhabitants, whether constituting a separate election district or not.
shall desire to avail itself of the provisions of this chapter, a petition of
such of the qualified voters of such town as shall be equal in number to
one-fourth of the number of the persons voting at the preceding regular
municipal election may be presented, in term or vacation, to the judge
of the circuit or corporation court having jurisdiction of said town, who
shall thereupon order a special election in conformity with the provis-
ions of the four preceding sections; and if it appear from the abstracts
and returns that 2 majority of the votes cast at such election were
against liquor license, no license shall be granted for the sale of wine.
spirituous or malt liquors, or any mixture thereof, within the corporate
limits of such town. After such election has been held there shal] not
be another election under this chapter held in said town within two

ears.
7 2. This act shall take effect on the first day of February, nineteen hun-
dred and four.