Chap. 704.—An ACT to permit the qualified voters of any magisterial district
of Floyd county to vote on a fence law.

Approved March 3, 1900.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That upon
petition of one hundred qualified voters of any magisterial district of
Floyd county, Virginia, it shall be the duty of the judge of the county
court of said county to order a vote taken of the qualified voters of such
district or districts so petitioning, as to whether the boundary lines of
each tract of land in said district shall be a lawful fence. It shall be
the duty of said judge of the said county court to order said election
to be held, not later than forty days after application is made to him, and
said judge shall cause the said election to be advertised by printed hand-
bills at each voting place, and at such other places as may be deemed
necessary, at least fifteen days prior to said election. If from the re-
turns from said district or districts it appears that a majority of the
votes cast in any district are in favor of said law, it shall be the duty
of said judge to have an order entered on the order book of said court,
that the boundary lines of each tract of land in said district or districts,
is a lawful fence: provided, that said election for any district shall not
be ordered more than once in two years.

2. Said special elections shall be held under the election law of Vir-
ginia providing for holding elections when. no party nominations are
made, and shall be by ballot, and the ballots shall have printed or written
upon them respectively, “for the boundary line of each tract of land
being a lawful fence” and “against the boundary line of each tract of
land being a lawful fence,” and the said judge of the county court shall
order a sufficient number of ballots of each class for each precinct in the
district or districts so voting, to be printed and sent to each precinct
in said district or districts.

3. It shall be the duty of said judge to designate by order entered on
the order book, three qualified voters of said county, who together with
the clerk of said court shall canvass the returns of any district so voting
and report the result to said judge in proper form at or before the next
following term of said court.

4. Should any district or districts desire to vote on the question as
to whether the boundary lines of each tract of land shall be a lawful
fence, as to sheep and hogs only, and should the requisite number of
voters in said district or districts petition the judge of the county court
as provided for in this act, then it shall be the duty of the said judge
to order an election in such district or districts as in the manner herein
provided for, except, that the ballots used shall have printed or written
thereon the words “ for the boundary lines of each tract of land being a
lawful fence as to sheep and hogs only ” and “ against the boundary lines
of each tract of land being a lawful fence as to sheep and hogs only.”

5. Any duty required of the judge of said county court by this act,
may be performed either in term of said court.

6. All acts in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.

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