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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84635</law_id><section_number>15.2-1649</section_number><catch_line>Town may issue bonds to finance donation; election on bonds</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="16">Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="8">Courthouses</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>When any <span class="dictionary">town</span> desires to donate to the <span class="dictionary">county</span> any land or sums of money as an inducement for such removal and the <span class="dictionary">town</span> has not sufficient funds in its treasury as it may desire to offer, the <span class="dictionary">town</span> may borrow the money and <span class="dictionary">issue</span> its <span class="dictionary">bonds</span> therefor. Whenever a number of <span class="dictionary">voters</span> equal to at least twenty-five percent of the <span class="dictionary">voters</span> of such <span class="dictionary">town</span>, registered in the <span class="dictionary">town</span> on the January 1 preceding the filing of the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, <span class="dictionary">petition</span> the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for the <span class="dictionary">county</span> wherein such <span class="dictionary">town</span> is located for an election to be held on such <span class="dictionary">bond</span> <span class="dictionary">issue</span>, the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall, in accordance with Article 5 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="How special elections superintended and determined" href="/24.2-681/">24.2-681</a> et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 24.2, <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a <span class="dictionary">writ</span> of election, ordering a special election upon such <span class="dictionary">bond</span> <span class="dictionary">issue</span>, in which the date of holding such election in the <span class="dictionary">town</span> shall be fixed. Such <span class="dictionary">petition</span> shall state the purposes for which the proceeds of such <span class="dictionary">bond</span> <span class="dictionary">issue</span> shall be used, and the amount of such <span class="dictionary">issue</span>. The election shall be held and the vote canvassed and returns made in accordance with the requirements of the general election <span class="dictionary">law</span>, except that the certificate of the electoral board shall be as follows:
		&#x201C;We hereby certify that at the election held in the <span class="dictionary">town</span> of&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026; on the&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;. day of&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;., 20&#x2026;.., upon the question of a <span class="dictionary">bond</span> <span class="dictionary">issue</span> of&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;. dollars, to be used as a donation to&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;. <span class="dictionary">county</span> as an inducement for removal of the courthouse of the <span class="dictionary">county</span> to the <span class="dictionary">town</span>,&#x2026;.. votes were cast for the <span class="dictionary">bond</span> <span class="dictionary">issue</span> and&#x2026;.. votes were cast against the <span class="dictionary">bond</span> <span class="dictionary">issue</span>.&#x201D;
		The ballots used in the election shall be as follows:
		&#x201C;Shall the <span class="dictionary">Town</span> of&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;. <span class="dictionary">issue</span> <span class="dictionary">bonds</span> to the amount of&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026; dollars to be used as a donation to&#x2026;&#x2026;&#x2026;. <span class="dictionary">County</span>, as an inducement for the removal of the courthouse?
		[ ] Yes
		[ ] No&#x201D;
		The electoral board shall certify in duplicate the vote cast in such elections, for and against the <span class="dictionary">bond</span> <span class="dictionary">issue</span>, one of such certificates to be filed with the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">county</span> and the other with the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span>.
		Such election shall be subject to inquiry in the manner provided by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Contest of election" href="/15.2-1654/">15.2-1654</a>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 15-48; 1962, c. 623, &#xA7; 15.1-564; 1975, c. 517; 1997, c. 587.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
