A. Any county may assume the payment of and pay any outstanding indebtedness of any magisterial district or districts thereof incurred for the purpose of constructing public highways that were subsequently taken over by the Commonwealth, provided the assumption thereof is approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the county voting on the question at an election to be held as provided in this section.
B. The governing body of the county may, by a resolution entered of record in its minute book, require the judges of election to open a poll at the next regular election and take the sense of the qualified voters of the county upon the question whether or not the county shall assume the highway indebtedness of __________ district, or __________ districts. The local governing body shall cause notice of such election to be given by the posting of written notice thereof at the front door of the county courthouse at least 30 days prior to the date the same is to be held and by publication thereof twice in a newspaper published or having general circulation in the county, with the first publication appearing no more than 28 days before and the second publication appearing no less than seven days before the election. Such notice shall set forth the date of such election and the question to be voted on.
C. The ballots for use in voting upon the question so submitted shall be prepared, printed, distributed, voted, and counted and the returns made and canvassed in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-684. The results shall be certified by the commissioners of election to the county clerk, who shall certify the same to the governing body of the county, and such returns shall be entered of record in the minute book of the local governing body.
D. If a majority of the voters voting on the question vote in favor of the assumption by the county of the highway indebtedness of any district of the county, such indebtedness shall become and be an obligation of the county and as binding thereon as if the same had been originally contracted by the county. In such event the governing body of the county is authorized to levy and collect taxes throughout the county for the payment of the district indebtedness so assumed, both as to principal and interest.
E. Nothing contained in this section shall affect the validity of such district highway obligations in the event that the result of such election is against the assumption thereof by the county, but they shall continue to be as valid and binding in all respects as they were in their inception.