{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-1600.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-1600.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-1600.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-1600.html"}],"law_id":65970,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65970,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1600","catch_line":"Counties and cities required to elect certain officers; qualifications of attorney for the Commonwealth; duties and compensation of officers; vacancies, certain counties and cities excepted; officer’s powers not to be diminished","history":"1971, Ex. Sess., c. 223, \u00a7 15.1-40.1; 1979, c. 522; 1982, c. 637; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"A\n\nThe voters of each county and city shall elect a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney for the Commonwealth, a clerk, who shall be clerk of the court in the office of which deeds are recorded, and a commissioner of revenue. To qualify to be elected or hold office, an attorney for the Commonwealth shall be a member of the bar of this Commonwealth. The duties and compensation of such officers shall be prescribed by general law or special act and any vacancy in such office shall be filled, notwithstanding any charter provision to the contrary, by a majority of the circuit judges of the judicial circuit for the county or city pursuant to the provisions of §§ 24.2-226 and 24.2-227. Any county or city not required to have or to elect such officers prior to July 1, 1971, shall not be so required by this section, nor shall the provisions of this section apply to those counties and cities which have heretofore adopted, or may hereafter adopt, a form of government, as provided by law, which does not require such counties or cities to have or elect one or more of such officers.B\n\nNothing in this title shall be construed to authorize the governing body or the chief administrative officer of a locality to designate an elected constitutional officer to exercise a power or perform a duty which the officer is not required to perform under applicable state law without the consent of such officer, nor by designation to diminish any such officer’s powers or duties as provided by applicable state law including the power to organize their offices and to appoint such deputies, assistants and other individuals as are authorized by law upon the terms and conditions specified by such officers.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":239696,"text":"The voters of each county and city shall elect a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney for the Commonwealth, a clerk, who shall be clerk of the court in the office of which deeds are recorded, and a commissioner of revenue. To qualify to be elected or hold office, an attorney for the Commonwealth shall be a member of the bar of this Commonwealth. The duties and compensation of such officers shall be prescribed by general law or special act and any vacancy in such office shall be filled, notwithstanding any charter provision to the contrary, by a majority of the circuit judges of the judicial circuit for the county or city pursuant to the provisions of §§ 24.2-226 and 24.2-227. Any county or city not required to have or to elect such officers prior to July 1, 1971, shall not be so required by this section, nor shall the provisions of this section apply to those counties and cities which have heretofore adopted, or may hereafter adopt, a form of government, as provided by law, which does not require such counties or cities to have or elect one or more of such officers.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":239697,"text":"Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize the governing body or the chief administrative officer of a locality to designate an elected constitutional officer to exercise a power or perform a duty which the officer is not required to perform under applicable state law without the consent of such officer, nor by designation to diminish any such officer’s powers or duties as provided by applicable state law including the power to organize their offices and to appoint such deputies, assistants and other individuals as are authorized by law upon the terms and conditions specified by such officers.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14768,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12877,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:48","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:48","permalink":{"id":153307,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14768,"identifier":"1","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1","url":"\/15.2\/II\/16\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12877,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies","identifier":"16","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":153305,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12877,"identifier":"16","token":"15.2\/II\/16","url":"\/15.2\/II\/16\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12733,"edition_id":1,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":152369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12733,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":65970,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1600","catch_line":"Counties and cities required to elect certain officers; qualifications of attorney for the Commonwealth; duties and compensation of officers; vacancies, certain counties and cities excepted; officer's powers not to be diminished","url":"\/15.2-1600\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1600","metadata":false},{"id":85670,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1601","catch_line":"Requirements for officers","url":"\/15.2-1601\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1601","metadata":false},{"id":78193,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1602","catch_line":"Sharing of such officers by two or more units of government","url":"\/15.2-1602\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1602","metadata":false},{"id":58488,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1603","catch_line":"Appointment of deputies; their powers; how removed","url":"\/15.2-1603\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1603","metadata":false},{"id":67681,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1604","catch_line":"Appointment of deputies and employment of employees; discriminatory practices by certain officers; civil penalty","url":"\/15.2-1604\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1604","metadata":false},{"id":56532,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1605","catch_line":"Vacations; sick leave and compensatory time for certain officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-1605\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605","metadata":false},{"id":79797,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1605.1","catch_line":"Supplementing compensation of certain county and city officers and their employees","url":"\/15.2-1605.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605.1","metadata":false},{"id":58472,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1605.2","catch_line":"Salary increases for constitutional officers","url":"\/15.2-1605.2\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1605.2","metadata":false},{"id":85524,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1606","catch_line":"Defense of constitutional officers; appointment of counsel","url":"\/15.2-1606\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1606","metadata":false},{"id":79074,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1607","catch_line":"Providing legal fees and expenses for sheriffs and deputies","url":"\/15.2-1607\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1607","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":85670,"structure_id":14768,"section_number":"15.2-1601","catch_line":"Requirements for officers","url":"\/15.2-1601\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1601","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-1600\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1979, chapter 522; in 1982, chapter 637; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":85589,"section_number":"15.2-1512.2","catch_line":"Political activities of employees of localities, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, and law-enforcement officers and certain other officers and employees","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1512.2\/"},{"id":85670,"section_number":"15.2-1601","catch_line":"Requirements for officers","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1601\/"},{"id":78193,"section_number":"15.2-1602","catch_line":"Sharing of such officers by two or more units of government","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1602\/"},{"id":86974,"section_number":"16.1-101","catch_line":"Proceedings against officer failing to make or making improper return","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-101\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":60735,"section_number":"24.2-226","catch_line":"Election to fill vacancy","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-226\/"},{"id":57450,"section_number":"24.2-227","catch_line":"Interim appointment by court until vacancy filled by election for certain offices","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-227\/"}],"permalink":{"id":153309,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65970,"identifier":"15.2-1600","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1600","url":"\/15.2-1600\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-1600\/","token":"15.2\/II\/16\/1\/15.2-1600","dublin_core":{"Title":"Counties and cities required to elect certain officers; qualifications of attorney for the Commonwealth; duties and compensation of officers; vacancies, certain counties and cities excepted; officer’s powers not to be diminished","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-1600","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The voters<\/span> of each county<\/span> and city<\/span> shall elect a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney for the Commonwealth, a clerk, who shall be clerk of the court<\/span> in the office of which deeds are recorded, and a commissioner of revenue. To qualify to be elected or hold office, an attorney for the Commonwealth shall be a member of the bar of this Commonwealth. The duties and compensation of such officers shall be prescribed by general law<\/span> or special act and any vacancy in such office shall be filled, notwithstanding any charter provision to the contrary, by a majority of the circuit<\/span> judges<\/span> of the judicial circuit<\/span> for the county<\/span> or city<\/span> pursuant to the provisions of §§ 24.2-226<\/a> and 24.2-227<\/a>. Any county<\/span> or city<\/span> not required to have or to elect such officers prior to July 1, 1971, shall not be so required by this section, nor shall the provisions of this section apply to those counties and cities which have heretofore adopted, or may hereafter adopt, a form of government, as provided by law<\/span>, which does not require such counties or cities to have or elect one or more of such officers. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize the governing body<\/span> or the chief administrative officer of a locality<\/span> to designate an elected constitutional officer<\/span> to exercise a power or perform a duty which the officer is not required to perform under applicable state law<\/span> without the consent of such officer, nor by designation to diminish any such officer’s powers or duties as provided by applicable state law<\/span> including the power to organize their offices and to appoint such deputies, assistants and other individuals as are authorized by law<\/span> upon the terms and conditions specified by such officers. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOUNTIES AND CITIES REQUIRED TO ELECT CERTAIN OFFICERS; QUALIFICATIONS OF\nATTORNEY FOR THE COMMONWEALTH; DUTIES AND COMPENSATION OF OFFICERS; VACANCIES,\nCERTAIN COUNTIES AND CITIES EXCEPTED; OFFICER’S POWERS NOT TO BE\nDIMINISHED (\u00a7 15.2-1600)\n\nA. The voters of each county and city shall elect a treasurer, a sheriff, an\nattorney for the Commonwealth, a clerk, who shall be clerk of the court in the\noffice of which deeds are recorded, and a commissioner of revenue. To qualify to\nbe elected or hold office, an attorney for the Commonwealth shall be a member of\nthe bar of this Commonwealth. The duties and compensation of such officers shall\nbe prescribed by general law or special act and any vacancy in such office shall\nbe filled, notwithstanding any charter provision to the contrary, by a majority\nof the circuit judges of the judicial circuit for the county or city pursuant to\nthe provisions of §§ 24.2-226 and 24.2-227. Any county or city not\nrequired to have or to elect such officers prior to July 1, 1971, shall not be\nso required by this section, nor shall the provisions of this section apply to\nthose counties and cities which have heretofore adopted, or may hereafter adopt,\na form of government, as provided by law, which does not require such counties\nor cities to have or elect one or more of such officers.\n\nB. Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize the governing body or\nthe chief administrative officer of a locality to designate an elected\nconstitutional officer to exercise a power or perform a duty which the officer\nis not required to perform under applicable state law without the consent of\nsuch officer, nor by designation to diminish any such officer’s powers or\nduties as provided by applicable state law including the power to organize their\noffices and to appoint such deputies, assistants and other individuals as are\nauthorized by law upon the terms and conditions specified by such officers.\n\nHISTORY: 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 223, \u00a7 15.1-40.1; 1979, c. 522; 1982, c. 637;\n1997, c. 587.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}