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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57041</law_id><section_number>21-126</section_number><catch_line>Inquiry into election and returns</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="21">Drainage, Soil Conservation, Sanitation and Public Facilities Districts</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Sanitary Districts</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Bonds of Sanitary Districts</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Whenever the sense of the qualified voters of the district shall be taken on the question whether the governing body shall <span class="dictionary">issue</span> <span class="dictionary">bonds</span> for one or more of the purposes for which the sanitary district was created, election and returns shall be subject to the inquiry, determination and <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the county upon the written complaint of twenty-five or more of the qualified voters of the district, of an undue election or false returns, two of whom shall take an <span class="dictionary">oath</span> that the <span class="dictionary">facts</span> set forth in such complaint are true to the best of their knowledge and belief, and the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall, in judging of such election and returns, proceed upon the merits thereof and determine concerning the same according to the Constitution and <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of this Commonwealth, but such complaint shall not be valid unless it shall have been filed within thirty days after the election in the office of the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>. The governing body of the county shall be made a <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> by <span class="dictionary">summons</span> or notice to its chairman of the filing of the complaint, and after such service of notice on the chairman of such governing body, either <span class="dictionary">party</span>, upon reasonable notice to the other, shall be at liberty to take <span class="dictionary">depositions</span> to <span class="dictionary">sustain</span> or invalidate such election. Service of notice on any three of the complainants shall be sufficient. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall proceed at its next term after such service of <span class="dictionary">summons</span> or notice to determine the contest without a <span class="dictionary">jury</span> on the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>, oral or written, unless good cause be shown for a <span class="dictionary">continuance</span>, and shall make a proper record of its <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>. If the <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> be that the election was a valid one in favor of the issuance of <span class="dictionary">bonds</span> in the district, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall make an <span class="dictionary">order</span> in conformity with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Procedure after election" href="/21-125/">21-125</a>.</p></section></text><history>1946, p. 181; Michie Suppl. 1946, &#xA7; 1560z5.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
