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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>68930</law_id><section_number>15.2-1535</section_number><catch_line>Members of governing body not to be elected or appointed by governing body to certain offices</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><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="15">Local Government Personnel, Qualification for Office, Bonds, Dual Office Holding and Certain Local Government Officers</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="6">Prohibition on Dual Office Holding</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia, no member of a <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> of a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> shall be eligible, during the term of office for which he was elected or appointed, to hold any office filled by the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> by election or appointment, except that a member of a <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> may be named a member of such other boards, commissions, and bodies as may be permitted by general <span class="dictionary">law</span> and except that a member of a <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> may be named to fill a vacancy in the office of mayor or board chairman if permitted by general or special <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-249551" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia, and without limiting any other provision of general <span class="dictionary">law</span>, a <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> member may be named by the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> to one or more of the following positions: <a id="paragraph-249552" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Director of emergency management pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Powers and duties of political subdivisions" href="/44-146.19/">44-146.19</a>; <a id="paragraph-249553" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Member of a planning district commission pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Organization of planning district commission" href="/15.2-4203/">15.2-4203</a>; <a id="paragraph-249554" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Member of a transportation district commission pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Members of transportation commissions" href="/33.2-1907/">33.2-1907</a>; <a id="paragraph-249555" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Member of a behavioral health authority board pursuant to Chapter 6 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/37.2-600/">37.2-600</a> et seq.) of Title 37.2; <a id="paragraph-249556" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Member of a hospital or health center commission pursuant to Chapter 52 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Creation of commission" href="/15.2-5200/">15.2-5200</a> et seq.) of Title 15.2; <a id="paragraph-249557" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Member of a <span class="dictionary">community services</span> board pursuant to Chapter 5 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Purpose; community services board; services to be provided" href="/37.2-500/">37.2-500</a> et seq.) of Title 37.2; <a id="paragraph-249558" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Member of a park authority pursuant to Chapter 57 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title; application" href="/15.2-5700/">15.2-5700</a> et seq.) of Title 15.2; <a id="paragraph-249559" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B8" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> Member of a detention or other residential care facilities commission pursuant to Article 13 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Joint or regional citizen detention commissions authorized" href="/16.1-315/">16.1-315</a> et seq.) of Chapter 11 of Title 16.1; <a id="paragraph-249560" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B9" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">9.</span> Member of a board of directors, governing board or advisory <span class="dictionary">council</span> of an area agency on aging pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Powers and duties of Department with respect to aging persons; area agencies on aging" href="/51.5-135/">51.5-135</a>; <a id="paragraph-249561" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B9"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B10" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">10.</span> Member of a regional jail or jail farm board, pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Members of jail or jail farm board or regional jail authority; powers; payment of pro rata costs" href="/53.1-106/">53.1-106</a> or of a regional jail authority or jail authority pursuant to Article 3.1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Jail authority" href="/53.1-95.2/">53.1-95.2</a> et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title 53.1; <a id="paragraph-249562" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B10"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B11" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">11.</span> With respect to members of the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> of a <span class="dictionary">town</span> under 3,500 population, member of an industrial development authority&#x2019;s board of directors pursuant to Chapter 49 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title" href="/15.2-4900/">15.2-4900</a> et seq.) of Title 15.2; <a id="paragraph-249563" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B11"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B12" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">12.</span> Member of the board of directors, governing board, or advisory <span class="dictionary">council</span> or committee of an airport commission or authority; <a id="paragraph-249564" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B12"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B13" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">13.</span> Member of a Board of Directors of a Regional Industrial Facility Authority pursuant to Chapter 64 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/15.2-6400/">15.2-6400</a> et seq.) of Title 15.2; <a id="paragraph-249565" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B13"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B14" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">14.</span> Member of a local parks and recreation commission; <a id="paragraph-249566" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B14"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B15" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">15.</span> Member of the Board of the Richmond Ambulance Authority; <a id="paragraph-249567" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B15"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B16" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">16.</span> Member of a local convention, visitors, or tourism board, authority, or agency; and <a id="paragraph-249568" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B16"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B17" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">17.</span> Member of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Creation of the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority" href="/33.2-2901/">33.2-2901</a>. <a id="paragraph-249569" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#B17"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> If any <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> member is appointed or elected by the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> to any office, his qualification in that office shall be void except as provided in subsection B or by other general <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-249570" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Except as specifically provided in general or special <span class="dictionary">law</span>, no appointed body listed in subsection B shall be comprised of a majority of elected officials as members, nor shall any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> be represented on such appointed body by more than one elected official. <a id="paragraph-249571" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> For the purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">governing body</span>&#x201D; includes the mayor of a municipality and the <span class="dictionary">county</span> board chairman. <a id="paragraph-249572" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1535/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1993, cc. 621, 781, &#xA7; 15.1-50.5; 1995, cc. 696, 699; 1997, c. 587; 1998, c. 488; 1999, c. 811; 2001, c. 8; 2009, cc. 400, 649; 2011, cc. 41, 51; 2012, cc. 803, 835; 2014, c. 469; 2018, c. 659.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
