24.2-684 - How referendum elections called and held, and the results ascertained and certified.
§ 24.2-684. How referendum elections called and held, and the resultsascertained and certified.
Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or charter to the contrary,the provisions of this section shall govern all referenda.
No referendum shall be placed on the ballot unless specifically authorized bystatute or by charter.
Whenever any question is to be submitted to the voters of any county, city,town, or other local subdivision, the referendum shall in every case be heldpursuant to a court order as provided in this section. The court ordercalling a referendum shall state the question to appear on the ballot inplain English as that term is defined in § 24.2-687. The order shall beentered and the election held within a reasonable period of time subsequentto the receipt of the request for the referendum if the request is found tobe in proper order. The court order shall set the date for the referendum inconformity with the requirements of § 24.2-682.
A copy of the court order calling a referendum shall be sent immediately tothe State Board by the clerk of the court in which the order was issued.
The ballot shall be prepared by the appropriate electoral board anddistributed to the appropriate precincts. On the day fixed for thereferendum, the regular election officers shall open the polls and take thesense of the qualified voters of the county, city, town, or other localsubdivision, as the case may be, on the question so submitted. The ballotsfor use at any such election shall be printed to state the question asfollows:
"(Here state briefly the question submitted)
[] Yes
[] No"
The ballots shall be printed, marked, and counted and returns made andcanvassed as in other elections. The results shall be certified by thesecretary of the appropriate electoral board to the State Board, to the courtordering the election, and to such other authority as may be proper toaccomplish the purpose of the election.
(Code 1950, § 24-141; 1966, c. 115; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-165; 1974, c. 428;1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 616; 1978, cc. 258, 304; 1979, c. 37; 1980, c. 639;1981, c. 367; 1982, cc. 498, 650; 1983, c. 461; 1991, c. 592; 1993, c. 641;1994, c. 142; 1996, c. 297.)