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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62554</law_id><section_number>15.2-1211</section_number><catch_line>Boundaries of magisterial and election districts</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>22.1-36</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="12">General Powers and Procedures of Counties</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Miscellaneous Powers</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> <span class="dictionary">County</span> magisterial district boundary lines and names shall be as the governing bodies may establish. Subject to the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="At-large and district elections; reapportionment and redistricting of districts or wards; limits" href="/24.2-304.1/">24.2-304.1</a>, whenever the boundaries of a <span class="dictionary">county</span> have been altered, the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> shall, as may be necessary, redistrict the <span class="dictionary">county</span> into magisterial districts, change the boundaries of existing districts, change the name of any district, or increase or diminish the number of districts. <a id="paragraph-228119" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1211/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Whenever redistricting of magisterial or election districts is required as a result of annexation, the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> of such <span class="dictionary">county</span> shall, within a reasonable time from the effective date of such annexation, not to exceed ninety days, commence the redistricting process which shall be completed within a reasonable time thereafter, not to exceed twelve months. <a id="paragraph-228120" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1211/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">county</span> may by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> provide that the magisterial districts of the <span class="dictionary">county</span> shall remain the same, but that representation on the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> shall be by election districts, in which event all sections of this Code providing for election or appointment on the basis of magisterial districts shall be construed to provide for election or appointment on the basis of election districts, including appointment to a school board as prescribed by &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Composition of school board; to be appointed by commission" href="/22.1-36/">22.1-36</a> and <a class="law" title="Appointment of school board members and tie breaker by county governing body; terms; vacancies" href="/22.1-44/">22.1-44</a>. <a id="paragraph-228121" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1211/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1971, Ex. Sess., c. 200, &#xA7; 15.1-571.1; 1976, c. 398; 1979, c. 288; 1980, c. 559; 1995, c. 249; 1997, c. 587.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
