CHAPTER 228

An Act to provide for the appointment of general registrars and assistants
in counties; to prescribe their powers, duties, terms of office and
compensation.

[H 33]

Approved March 8, 1952

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. §1. The governing body of any county may in the month of March
of any year provide by resolution for the creation of the office of general
registrar of the county and may further so provide for appointment of
such assistant registrars as circumstances may require. Upon receipt of
a certified copy of the resolution of the governing body requesting the
appointment of a general registrar and assistant registrars by the county
electoral board, the electoral board shall within thirty days thereafter
appoint such general registrar and assistant registrars who shall be dis-
creet citizens, qualified voters and residents of the county for which
appointed, and shall possess the qualifications prescribed by law for regis-
trars. The appointment of such general registrar shall automatically
abolish the office of registrar for each and all of the election districts of
such county as provided by law, as of the date of qualification of the
general registrar, and each and every such district registrar shall there-
upon promptly deliver to the general registrar all the books, papers and
documents pertaining to their office.

The governing body of the county shall furnish the general
registrar with a suitable office, furniture and equipment and fix his
compensation. Any such general registrar so appointed shall hold office
at the pleasure of the county electoral board and until his successor is
appointed and has qualified. The registrar shall sit at such place or places
in the county as may be designated by the electoral board and on such
day or days in each month as the electoral board may designate; provided
that in any county having a population of not less than twelve thousand
seven hundred sixty nor more than twelve thousand eight hundred and
in any county having a population of not less than fourteen thousand
eight hundred fifty nor more than fifteen thousand, such registrar shall
sit at such place in each magisterial district in the county and on such
day or days, in each district, not less than one nor more than two, within
the period from sixty to thirty days in advance of the date of each primary
or general election as the electoral board may designate.

§ 8. Such general registrar shall, before entering upon the duties
of his office, take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed by law for
registrars. His power and duties shall be similar to the power and
duties prescribed by general law for registrars; and all books, papers and
documents belonging to the office of the general registrar shall be public
records and open for inspection during reasonable hours provided he
shall post in each election district in his county, the notices required by
general law to be posted by registrars in their respective election districts.

§ 4. When the governing body of a county provides for and requests
the appointment of assistant registrars the electoral board may appoint
the same in such number as appears proper. Such assistant registrar
shall perform such duties as may be required of them by the general
registrar and the electoral board, respectively; in all other respects the
provisions of this act and of other statutes applicable to registrars and
general registrars shall apply mutatis mutandis, to assistant registrars.

§ 5. Provided, however, that the governing body of any county
which has provided for the appointment of a general and assistant regis-
trars under this act, may by appropriate resolution abolish such general
and assistant registrars and thereafter registrars shall be appointed in
the same manner in such county as may be provided by law.

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