Chap. 131.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 1 of an act approved March
28, 1903, in relation to changing the boundaries of wards in cities, and for in-
creasing or diminishing the number thereof.

Approved March 12, 1904.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section one
of an act approved March twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and three, be
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That in each
city of this Commonwealth there shall be as many wards as the city
council may establish: provided, however, that whenever by the last
United States census or other enumeration made by authority of law it
shall appear that the population in any ward excceds that of any other
ward by as much as three thousand inhabitants, or whenever, in the opin-
ion of the council,-it is necessary, or whenever the corporate limits of the
city shall be extended or contracted, it shall be the duty of the city coun-
cil to redistrict the city into wards, or so change the boundaries of exist-
ing wards, or so increase or diminish the number of wards as that no one
ward shall exceed any other ward in population by more than three thou-
sand inhabitants: and provided, that whenever the said city shall be so
redistricted, the judge of the corporation or hustings court shall appoint
three commissioners, whose duty it shall be to rearrange and revise the
registration books of said city, so as to place each registered voter on the
proper precinct and ward registration book, and for this purpose the
registrars shall, upon the order of corporation court. or judge thereof,
deliver to the commissioners so appointed: the registration books for the
purposes aforesaid. The commissioners shall receive such compensation
as the judge of the corporation court may allow, to be paid by the city,
together with all other expenses incurred thereby. A mandamus ‘shall
lie on behalf of any citizen to compel the performance by the council of
the duty so prescribed.

2. An emergency existing for the operation of this act, the same shall
be in force from its passage.