Chap. 294.—An ACT to provide for the purging of the registration books in the
counties and cities in which there is a general registrar. [H 233]

Approved March 29, 1944

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. Section 1. The electoral board of any county or city in which
there is a general registrar may direct from time to time that the regis-
tration books of any precinct therein be purged whenever they deem it
proper, regardless of the regular registration days as provided in section
ninety-eight of the Code of Virginia, and they shall direct such purging
of the registration books of every precinct once in every six years.

Section 2, When such registration books are ordered to be purged
by the electoral board it shall be the duty of the general registrar, within
ten days after such order, to post printed notices signed by himself at
not less than three public places in the precinct, including the voting
place therein, of the names of all persons who in the judgment of the
general registrar are, or who it is alleged by any three qualified voters
of the precinct may be, improperly on the registration books of the pre-
cinct; and in addition to the posted notice, the general registrar shall
send a notice by registered mail addressed to each voter on the list and
mailed to him at the address given in the current tax ltst of qualified
voters in the county or city, stating the time or times at which the general
registrar, at his office, during regular office hours, will hear testimony
produced for or against the rights of persons named in the notice to be
retained on the registration books. At the time or times stated in the
notice the registrar shall hear the testimony produced, and if he be satis-
fied that any person mentioned in the notice has removed from the election
precinct, has died, or for any reason is not entitled to be on the regis-
tration books of the precinct, he shall strike his name from the registra-
tion books; and the fact that the address of the voter as set forth on the
current poll tax list of the qualified voters of the county or city is not
within the precinct shall be prima facie evidence that the voter has per-
manently changed his residence from the precinct. Nothing herein con-
tained shall prevent the voter from applying to the general registrar for a
transfer to his proper precinct, provided the registration books are not
closed as provided by law. The general registrar may continue the hear-
ing from time to time until his examinations are complete. If any voter
so challenged fails to appear and defend his right to be retained on the
registration books of the precinct, his name shall be stricken therefrom
by the general registrar.

Section 3. The right of appeal from the decisions of the general
registrar provided by sections one hundred three and one hundred seven
of the Code of Virginia shall be preserved and any such appeal shall be
heard de novo.

Section 4. All costs incurred in the purging of the registration
books by the general registrar shall be borne by the respective counties
and cities.

Section 5. When a general purging of the registration books 1s
ordered as hereinbefore required, the registrar, after he has purged the
registration books, shall make a copy of the books in like manner as
provided in section ninety-one of the Code of Virginia, leaving off all
names stricken therefrom under the provisions of this act.

2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.