CHAPTER 31

An Act to amend and reenact § 6 of Chapter 288 of the Acts of Assembly
of 1924, approved March 20, 1924, which provided a charter for the
town of Salem, the section relating to election and composition of
council, and vacancies thereon. rH 82]

Approved February 22, 1954
Be it enacted by the Genera] Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 6 of Chapter 288 of the Acts of Assembly of 1924, approved
March 20, 1924, be amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 6. Composition of council and vacancies.—The council shall con-
sist of * five members, whose terms of office, except as hereinafter fixed,
shall be for a term of four years. The three members, who now constitute
the said council, shall continue in office until * the term of office of each
expires, and thereafter until their successors shall have been elected and
shall have qualified. At the June election, nineteen hundred and * fifty-
four, four members shall be elected, who shall immediately after their
qualification, cast lots to ascertain which one shall serve for a term of
two years from September first, nineteen hundred and * fifty-four, and
thereafter until his successor shall have been elected and shall have quali-
fied; and the remaining * three members shall serve for a term of four
years from September first, nineteen hundréd and * fifty-four, and there-
after until their successors shall have been elected and shall have quali-
fied. At the June election nineteen hundred and * fifty-six, and every
four years thereafter, * two councilmen shall be elected, who shall serve
for a term of four years from September first, nineteen hundred and *
fifty-six, and thereafter until * their successors shall have been elected
and shall have qualified. At the June election nineteen hundred and *
fifty-eight, and every four years thereafter, * three councilmen shall be
elected, who shall serve for a term of four years from September first,
nineteen hundred and * fifty-eight, and thereafter until their successors
shall have been elected and shall have qualified.

Vacancies in the council shall be filled within thirty days, for the
unexpired term, by a majority vote of the remaining members. Should,
however, the remaining members cast a tie vote, or otherwise be unable
to agree, the Clerk of Council shall, after the expiration of said thirty
days, certify this fact to the Circuit Court of Roanoke County, and the
Court, or the Judge thereof, shall proceed to enter an order appointing
a qualified person, or persons, to fill such vacancy or vacancies.

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