15.2-603 - Referendum on election of supervisors by districts or at large.
§ 15.2-603. Referendum on election of supervisors by districts or at large.
The governing body of any county which has adopted the county manager form ofgovernment, as provided in Chapter 368 of the Acts of 1932, at an electionheld for that purpose pursuant to the provisions of said chapter, may byresolution petition the circuit court of the county requesting that areferendum be held on the following questions: (i) Shall the board ofsupervisors be elected solely by the qualified voters of each magisterial orelection district, or by the qualified voters of the county at large? (ii)Shall the board have in addition to the members from each magisterial orelection district, one member from any district elected from and representingthe county at large? The court, by order entered of record in accordance with§ 24.2-684, shall require the regular election officials on a day fixed insuch order to open the polls and take the sense of the qualified voters ofthe county on the questions submitted as herein provided. The clerk of thecircuit court of the county shall cause a notice of such referendum electionto be published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaperpublished or having a general circulation in the county and shall post a copyof such notice at the door of the courthouse of the county. The ballot usedshall be printed to read as follows:
Shall the board of supervisors be elected by the qualified voters of eachmagisterial or election district, or by the qualified voters of the county atlarge?
[] By the qualified voters of each magisterial or election district.
[] By the qualified voters of the county at large.
Shall the board have in addition to the members for each magisterial orelection district, one member from any district elected from and representingthe county at large?
[] Yes
[] No
The ballots shall be marked in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-684.
The ballots shall be counted, returns made and canvassed as in otherelections, and the result certified by the electoral board to the circuitcourt of the county. The circuit court shall enter of record the fact ofwhich method of election of supervisors has been chosen by a majority of thequalified voters participating in such referendum election, and an electionfor members of the board by such method in that county shall be held at thenext regular November election of such officers, and every four yearsthereafter.
In any election pursuant to Chapter 3 (§ 15.2-300 et seq.), the questionsprovided for in this section shall be submitted to the voters, in addition tothe question or questions required by § 15.2-301.
(1966, c. 531, § 15.1-623.1; 1975, c. 517; 1982, c. 32; 1997, c. 587.)