A. In any county operating as of December 1, 1993, under the county manager plan provided for in this chapter, the members of the board shall be elected and vacancies on the board shall be filled as provided in this section. The members of the board shall be elected from the county at large.
B. Two board members shall be elected at the November 1995 election to succeed the members whose terms are expiring, and one member each shall be elected at the 1994, 1996, and 1997 November elections to succeed the members whose terms respectively are expiring. Thereafter at each regular November election one or more board members shall be elected to succeed the members whose terms expire on or before January 1 next succeeding such election. The members so elected shall be elected for terms of four years each, shall take office on January 1 next succeeding their election, and shall hold office until their successors are elected and qualify. The board may provide, by ordinance, for the nomination or election of candidates by instant runoff voting pursuant to § 15.2-705.1.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 24.2-226, when any vacancy occurs in the membership of the board, the judge of the circuit court of the county shall call a special election for the remainder of the unexpired term to be held not less than 60 days and not more than 80 days thereafter, and the local electoral board shall determine and announce within three business days after such call the candidate filing deadline for that special election. However, if any vacancy occurs within 180 days before the expiration of a term of office, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by a majority vote of the remaining members of the board within 30 days of the occurrence of the vacancy after holding a public hearing on the appointment. The appointment shall be for the duration of the unexpired term.