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2011 SESSION

11100821D
HOUSE BILL NO. 1702
Offered January 12, 2011
Prefiled January 10, 2011
A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-228 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; filling vacancies in certain local offices.
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Patron-- Lewis
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Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 24.2-228 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 24.2-228. Interim appointment to local governing body or elected school board; elected mayor.

A. When a vacancy occurs in a local governing body or an elected school board, the remaining members of the body or board, respectively, within 45 days of the office becoming vacant, may appoint a qualified voter of the election district in which the vacancy occurred to fill the vacancy. If a majority of the remaining members of the body or board cannot agree, or do not act, the judges of the circuit court of the county or city may make the appointment. Notwithstanding any charter provisions to the contrary, the person so appointed in a county or city, or a town with a population greater than 3,500, shall hold office only until the qualified voters fill the vacancy by special election pursuant to § 24.2-682 and the person so elected has qualified. The person so appointed in a town with a population of 3,500 or less shall serve for the remainder of the term and no special election shall be held. Any person so appointed shall hold office the same as an elected person and shall exercise all powers of the elected office.

If a majority of the seats on any governing body or elected school board are vacant, the remaining members shall not make interim appointments and the vacancies shall be filled as provided in § 24.2-227.

B. When a vacancy occurs in the office of a mayor who is elected by the voters, the council shall make an interim appointment to fill the vacancy as provided in subsection A.

C. For the purposes of this article and subsection D of § 22.1-57.3, local school boards comprised of elected and appointed members shall be deemed elected school boards.