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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60402</law_id><section_number>15.2-802</section_number><catch_line>Powers of county vested in board of supervisors; membership, election, terms, etc., of board; vacancies; powers of chairman</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-856</reference><reference>22.1-57.3</reference><reference>24.2-219</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="I">General Provisions; Charters; Other Forms and Organization of Counties</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="8">Urban County Executive Form of Government</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The powers of the <span class="dictionary">county</span> as a body politic and corporate shall be vested in an urban <span class="dictionary">county</span> <span class="dictionary">board of supervisors</span>, to consist of one member from each district of such <span class="dictionary">county</span> and to be known as the <span class="dictionary">board of supervisors</span> (the board). Each member shall be a qualified <span class="dictionary">voter</span> of his district and shall be elected by the qualified <span class="dictionary">voters</span> thereof. In addition to the above board members, the <span class="dictionary">voters</span> shall elect a <span class="dictionary">county</span> chairman who shall be a qualified <span class="dictionary">voter</span> of the <span class="dictionary">county</span>. No person may be a candidate for <span class="dictionary">county</span> chairman at the same time he is a candidate for membership on the <span class="dictionary">county</span> board from any district of the <span class="dictionary">county</span>. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the board and the chairman shall be included and counted.
		The <span class="dictionary">county</span> chairman shall be the chairman of the board and preside at the meetings thereof. The chairman shall represent the <span class="dictionary">county</span> at official functions and ceremonial events. The chairman shall have all rights, <span class="dictionary">privileges</span>, and duties of other members of the board and such others, not in conflict with this article, as the board may prescribe. In addition, the chairman shall have the power to (i) call special meetings of the board in accordance with the procedures and restrictions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Same; how called" href="/15.2-1418/">15.2-1418</a>, <span class="dictionary">mutatis mutandis</span>; (ii) set the agenda for board meetings; however, any such agenda may be modified by an affirmative vote of the board; (iii) appoint <span class="dictionary">county</span> representatives to regional boards, authorities and commissions which are authorized in advance by the board; however, any such appointment shall be subject to <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> by an affirmative vote of a majority of all members elected to the board acting within the 30-day period following that appointment; and (iv) create and appoint committees of the board and name presiding members of such committees as authorized by the board; however, any such committee or appointment shall be subject to <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> by an affirmative vote of a majority of all members elected to the board.
		At the first meeting at the beginning of its term and any time thereafter when necessary, the board shall elect a vice-chairman from its membership who shall perform the duties of the chairman in his absence.
		The supervisors and chairman first elected under the provisions of this chapter shall hold office until January 1 following the next regular election provided by general <span class="dictionary">law</span> for the election of supervisors. At such election their successors shall be elected for terms of four years each.
		If the number of districts in any such <span class="dictionary">county</span> is increased by redistricting or otherwise subsequent to a general election for supervisors, and such supervisors have taken office, then the board shall adopt a resolution requesting a judge of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for such <span class="dictionary">county</span> to call a special election for an additional <span class="dictionary">supervisor</span> or supervisors in accordance with the increase in the number of districts, such additional <span class="dictionary">supervisor</span> or supervisors to be elected from the <span class="dictionary">county</span> at large, and such election shall be held within 45 days from the date of such request. The qualifications of candidates and the election shall be as at general <span class="dictionary">law</span> applying to special elections. Any supervisors thereby elected shall hold office until January 1 following the next regular election provided by general <span class="dictionary">law</span> for the election of members of the board, and at the next regular election all supervisors of any such <span class="dictionary">county</span> shall be elected from districts as provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span>.
		If a vacancy occurs on the board, the <span class="dictionary">chief judge</span> of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for such <span class="dictionary">county</span> shall call a special election, in the district if the vacancy is of a district <span class="dictionary">supervisor</span>, or in the <span class="dictionary">county</span> at large if the vacancy is of the chairman, to be held not fewer than 45 nor more than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy; however, if the vacancy occurs within 150 days prior to a general election, such special election may be held on the general election day; and if the vacancy occurs within 120 days prior to the date of a regular election for the <span class="dictionary">board of supervisors</span>, such vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the board within seven days of the occurrence of the vacancy, which appointment shall be for the duration of the term of office of the person whose absence from the board occasioned such vacancy. The qualification of candidates and the election shall be otherwise as at general <span class="dictionary">law</span> applying to special elections.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 15-384.17; 1960, c. 382; 1962, c. 623, &#xA7; 15.1-729; 1966, c. 464; 1968, c. 797; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 158; 1972, c. 707; 1985, c. 138; 1994, c. 148; 1997, c. 587; 2012, c. 396.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
