Chap. 408.—An ACT to amend and reenact chapter 14 of the Acts of the General
Assembly of 1944 relating to the registration and reregistration of persons
qualified to vote, and transfer of registrations of persons who have registered
in lieu of such reregistrations, in cities containing more than one hundred
and ninety thousand population according to the last United States census.

[H 182]
Approved April 1, 1948

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That chapter fourteen of the Acts of the General Assembly of
nineteen hundred forty-four be amended and reenacted as follows:

Section 1. That in cities containing more than one hundred and
ninety thousand population according to the last United States census,
there shall be a reregistration of all persons who have registered to
vote under the constitution and general laws of the Commonwealth, or
a transfer of persons who have registered to vote, in lieu of such re-
registration, in the calendar year nineteen hundred forty-nine; and
there shall be a reregistration, or transfer in lieu thereof of such persons
during each tenth calendar year thereafter. The cost and expense of
such reregistrations and transfers shall be borne by such cities. No
person who has registered to vote prior to the first day of January
nineteen hundred forty-nine or prior to the first day of January of
each tenth calendar year thereafter shall be qualified to vote in any elec-
tion held in any calendar year subsequent to nineteen hundred forty-nine
or in any calendar year subsequent to each tenth year thereafter, unless
he or she reregisters, or causes the transfer of his or her registration in
lieu thereof, according to the provisions of this act.

Section 2. The general registrar in each of such cities, throughout
the calendar year nmeteen hundred and forty-nine, and throughout each
tenth calendar year thereafter, shall reregister each person in his or
her full and complete name, who, by the constitution and general laws of
the Commonwealth, is entitled and qualified to register as a prerequisite
to the right to vote in elections and makes application therefor. It shall
be the duty of each such person to make written application for reregistra-
tion hereunder to such general registrar on forms provided by him for
the purpose, in his own handwriting, ‘without aid, suggestion, or
memorandum, in the presence of such general registrar or an assistant
registrar, stating therein his or her full and complete name, age, date
and place of birth, residence and occupation at the time and for the ten
years next preceding, and whether he or she has previously voted, and
if so, the state, county, city or town and precinct in which he or she last
voted ; and shall answer on oath ary and all questions affecting his or
her qualifications as an elector, submitted to him or her by the registrar
or assistant registrar, which questions and answers thereto shall be
reduced to writing, certified by the registrar or assistant registrar, and
preserved as a part of the general registrar’s records. At all other times,
when the registration records are open for the purpose, the general
registrar shall register each person as provided in this section, who, by
the constitution and general laws of the Commonwealth, is entitled and
qualified to register as a prerequisite to the right to vote in elections and
makes application therefor, and all of the provisions of this section relat-
ing to the duties of such persons and the general registrar and assistant
registrar with respect to reregistration of persons shall apply to the
registration of persons applying therefor.

Section 3. In lieu of applying for reregistration under the provi-
sions of section two of this act, every person who has registered prior to
the first day of January, nineteen hundred forty-nine and prior to the
first day of January of every tenth year thereafter, may make written
application to such general registrar, on forms provided by him for
the purpose, for the transfer of his or her registration upon the records
in his office, stating under oath therein his or her full and complete name
by which he or she theretofore registered, his or her then existing full
and complete name, date and place of birth and residence. Upon receipt
of such application, it shall be the duty of such general registrar to
examine the records in his office and if he finds that such applicant is
at the time thereof duly registered in his office as a voter, then it shall
be the further duty of the general registrar to transfer the registration of
such person to the proper records in his office and such person shall be
deemed to have reregistered under the provisions of this act.

Section 4. The council of each such city shall furnish a suitable and
convenient place or places, with necessary facilities and equipment for
use by persons desiring to register, reregister or transfer their registra-
tions, the cost of the same to be paid by each such city.

Section 5. It shall be the duty of the general registrar in each such
city to maintain in the city hall or other municipal building, of such
city, an office wherein all qualified voters of such city may be registered,
reregistered or transferred. Each such general registrar shall preserve the
written applications of all persons who are registered, reregistered or
transferred under the provisions of this act and who are denied registra-
tion, reregistration or transfer for at least one year after such applications
are made. Said written applications shall be kept and preserved as a
part of the general registrar’s records. Every person refused registration,
reregistration or transfer shall be at once notified of such refusal.

Section 6. The general registrar in each such city shall prescribe the
form of records of registrations, reregistrations and transfers which may
from time to time be altered, amended or changed as he may deem
necessary, and registration, reregistration or transfer upon such records
shall be as effective as if the names of persons had been registered in
permanent books as heretofore provided by law, and all laws applicable
to registration books, and the closing and use thereof shall apply to such
records and the closing and use of such records except where otherwise
provided in this act.

Section 7. Every person registered, reregistered or transferred
under the provisions of this act shall give notice in writing to the general
registrar of his city of any change in name or residence and such general
registrar upon receipt of such notice shall make such changes in his re-
cords as are necessary to conform them thereto and to assign such persons
to proper precincts.

Section 8. All acts or parts of acts which are inconsistent with the
provisions of this act are hereby repealed to the extent of such incon-
sistencies. :