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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60240</law_id><section_number>24.2-304.4</section_number><catch_line>Mandamus action for failure to reapportion districts or wards</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-857</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="24.2">Elections</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Election Districts, Precincts, and Polling Places</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2.1">Reapportionment of Local Election Districts</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Whenever the governing body of any county, city or town fails to perform the duty of reapportioning the representation on the governing body among the districts or wards of the county, city, or town, or fails to change the boundaries of districts or wards, as prescribed by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, mandamus shall lie in favor of any citizen of such county, city, or town, to compel the performance of such duty.
		Whenever the governing body of any county, city or town changes the boundaries, or increases or diminishes the number of districts or wards, or reapportions the representation in the governing body as prescribed by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, the action shall not be subject to judicial review, unless it is alleged that the representation is not proportional to the population of the district or ward. If such <span class="dictionary">allegation</span> is made in a <span class="dictionary">bill of complaint</span> filed in the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for the county, city or town, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall determine whether the action of the governing body complies with the constitutional requirements for redistricting and reapportionment. <span class="dictionary">Appeals</span> from the <span class="dictionary">court</span>&#x2019;s decision shall be as in any other suit.</p></section></text><history>1995, c. 249.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
