Chap. 393.—An ACT to authorize the qualified voters of Warwick
county to vote upon the question of the removal of the courthouse
of said county.

Approved March 2, 1888.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall be the duty of the judge of the county court upon the
application of persons paying one-third of the taxes upon real
estate in said county, to order the officers conducting elections
at the several places for holding elections in the county of
Warwick, on the fourth Thursday in May, in the year eigh-
teen hundred and eighty-eight, to open a poll for the purpose
of ascertaining the sense of the qualified voters of said county
as to whether or not the site of the courthouse of said county
shall be changed from its present location to Newport News,
J

in said county. The said election shall be conducted by bal-
lot, and said ballots shall have written or printed thereon:
“For removal of the courthouse to Newport News,” or
“Against removal of the courthouse to Newport News.”

2. The manner of receiving and canvassing the ballots cast
at said election on said question, and making returns and
abstracts thereof, shall conform in all respects to the require-
ments of the general election law of the state, except that the
certificates of the judges shall be as follows: We hereby cer-

tify that at the elections held on the —— of , eighteen
hundred and eighty-eight, votes were cast for removal
of the courthouse to Newport News, and votes were

cast against the removal of the courthouse to Newport News.

A. B. G. H. } Judges.
aa \ Clerks. Bs He cad
And the county commissioners of the returns of the elections
made to the county clerk’s office shall canvass these returns
in like manner as other election returns, and certify the.vote
cast “for removal” and “against removal” respectively, to the
county clerk of said county. Ifa majority of the registered
votes polled at said election shall be against removal, then

the present site of said courthouse shall not be changed.

3. In the event of a majority of the registered votes polled
being cast for removal, then the board of supervisors of said
county shall take steps to carry into effect the wishes of the
people so expressed, in erecting a courthouse and other neces-
sary buildings, and for that purpose shall be authorized to
dispose of the courthouse and jail now owned by the said
county, in such manner as they may consider most advan-
tageous to the said county: provided, that there shall be no
additional levy of taxes upon the county of Warwick to build
said new courthouse: and provided further, that in the event
that Newport News shall hereafter be incorporated as a town
or city, the said corporation shall be required to refund to the
county of Warwick the amount of principal paid by said
guy towards the erection of said building.

4. 1t shall bethe duty of the county court of Warwick county
to give at least thirty days’ notice of said election by Cpa
tion in one newspaper published in the county of Warwick
and by posting notice thereof at the courthouse door and at
each voting place in the county.

5. This act shall be in force from its passage.