{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-305.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-305.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-305.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-305.html"}],"law_id":85013,"edition_id":1,"section_id":85013,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-305","catch_line":"Composition of election districts and precincts","history":"1986, c. 593, \u00a7 24.1-40.7; 1990, c. 500; 1992, c. 425; 1993, c. 641; 2001, c. 614.","full_text":"A\n\nEach election district and precinct shall be composed of compact and contiguous territory and shall have clearly defined and clearly observable boundaries.B\n\nA “clearly observable boundary” shall include (i) any named road or street, (ii) any road or highway which is a part of the federal, primary, or secondary state highway system, (iii) any river, stream, or drainage feature shown as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census, or (iv) any other natural or constructed or erected permanent physical feature which is shown on an official map issued by the Virginia Department of Transportation, on a United States Geological Survey topographical map, or as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census. No property line or subdivision boundary shall be deemed to be a clearly observable boundary unless it is marked by a permanent physical feature that is shown on an official map issued by the Virginia Department of Transportation, on a United States Geological Survey topographical map, or as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":304729,"text":"Each election district and precinct shall be composed of compact and contiguous territory and shall have clearly defined and clearly observable boundaries.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":304730,"text":"A “clearly observable boundary” shall include (i) any named road or street, (ii) any road or highway which is a part of the federal, primary, or secondary state highway system, (iii) any river, stream, or drainage feature shown as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census, or (iv) any other natural or constructed or erected permanent physical feature which is shown on an official map issued by the Virginia Department of Transportation, on a United States Geological Survey topographical map, or as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census. No property line or subdivision boundary shall be deemed to be a clearly observable boundary unless it is marked by a permanent physical feature that is shown on an official map issued by the Virginia Department of Transportation, on a United States Geological Survey topographical map, or as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16319,"edition_id":1,"name":"Requirements for Election Districts, Precincts, and Polling Places","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13389,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:13:47","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:13:47","permalink":{"id":187747,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16319,"identifier":"3","token":"24.2\/3\/3","url":"\/24.2\/3\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13389,"edition_id":1,"name":"Election Districts, Precincts, and Polling Places","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12937,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:47","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:47","permalink":{"id":187667,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13389,"identifier":"3","token":"24.2\/3","url":"\/24.2\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12937,"edition_id":1,"name":"Elections","identifier":"24.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":187149,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12937,"identifier":"24.2","token":"24.2","url":"\/24.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":85013,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-305","catch_line":"Composition of election districts and precincts","url":"\/24.2-305\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-305","metadata":false},{"id":76644,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-306","catch_line":"Changes not to be enacted within 60 days of general election; notice requirements","url":"\/24.2-306\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-306","metadata":false},{"id":71718,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-307","catch_line":"Requirements for county and city precincts","url":"\/24.2-307\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-307","metadata":false},{"id":76372,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-308","catch_line":"Requirements for town precincts","url":"\/24.2-308\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-308","metadata":false},{"id":67861,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-309","catch_line":"Establishment of precinct with less than minimum number of voters; conduct of elections where all voters do not have same choice of candidates","url":"\/24.2-309\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-309","metadata":false},{"id":84638,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-309.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/24.2-309.1\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-309.1","metadata":false},{"id":68688,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-309.2","catch_line":"Election precincts; prohibiting precinct changes for specified period of time","url":"\/24.2-309.2\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-309.2","metadata":false},{"id":66699,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-310","catch_line":"Requirements for polling places","url":"\/24.2-310\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-310","metadata":false},{"id":76944,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-310.1","catch_line":"Polling places; additional requirement","url":"\/24.2-310.1\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-310.1","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":76644,"structure_id":16319,"section_number":"24.2-306","catch_line":"Changes not to be enacted within 60 days of general election; notice requirements","url":"\/24.2-306\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-306","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-305\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1986. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 593 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1986 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 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 1990, chapter 500; in 1992, chapter 425; in 1993, chapter 641; in 2001, chapter 614<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":187749,"object_type":"law","relational_id":85013,"identifier":"24.2-305","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-305","url":"\/24.2-305\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-305\/","token":"24.2\/3\/3\/24.2-305","dublin_core":{"Title":"Composition of election districts and precincts","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-305","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Each election district<\/span> and precinct<\/span> shall be composed of compact and contiguous territory and shall have clearly defined and clearly observable boundaries. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A “clearly observable boundary<\/span>” shall include (i) any named road or street, (ii) any road or highway which is a part of the federal, primary<\/span>, or secondary state highway system, (iii) any river, stream, or drainage feature shown as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census, or (iv) any other natural or constructed or erected permanent physical feature which is shown on an official map issued by the Virginia Department<\/span> of Transportation, on a United States Geological Survey topographical map, or as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census. No property line or subdivision boundary shall be deemed to be a clearly observable boundary<\/span> unless it is marked by a permanent physical feature that is shown on an official map issued by the Virginia Department<\/span> of Transportation, on a United States Geological Survey topographical map, or as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the Census. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOMPOSITION OF ELECTION DISTRICTS AND PRECINCTS (\u00a7 24.2-305)\n\nA. Each election district and precinct shall be composed of compact and\ncontiguous territory and shall have clearly defined and clearly observable\nboundaries.\n\nB. A “clearly observable boundary” shall include (i) any named road\nor street, (ii) any road or highway which is a part of the federal, primary, or\nsecondary state highway system, (iii) any river, stream, or drainage feature\nshown as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau\nof the Census, or (iv) any other natural or constructed or erected permanent\nphysical feature which is shown on an official map issued by the Virginia\nDepartment of Transportation, on a United States Geological Survey topographical\nmap, or as a polygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States\nBureau of the Census. No property line or subdivision boundary shall be deemed\nto be a clearly observable boundary unless it is marked by a permanent physical\nfeature that is shown on an official map issued by the Virginia Department of\nTransportation, on a United States Geological Survey topographical map, or as a\npolygon boundary on the TIGER\/line files of the United States Bureau of the\nCensus.\n\nHISTORY: 1986, c. 593, \u00a7 24.1-40.7; 1990, c. 500; 1992, c. 425; 1993, c. 641;\n2001, c. 614.","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}}