                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

REFERENDUM IN LOUDOUN COUNTY ON ELECTION OF THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN FROM THE COUNTY
AT LARGE (§ 15.2-1213)

A. The board of supervisors of Loudoun County may by resolution petition the
circuit court of the county for a referendum on the question of whether there
should be a chairman of the county board of supervisors elected at large.
Alternatively, a like referendum may be requested by a petition to the circuit
court signed by registered voters equal in number to at least 10 percent of the
registered voters of the county as of January 1 of the year in which the
petition is filed. Upon the filing of either petition, which shall be filed not
less than 90 days before a November general election, the circuit court shall
order the election officials at the next November general election held in the
county to open the polls and take the sense of the voters on the question set
forth in this subsection. The clerk of the court shall publish notice of the
referendum to be published once a week for four consecutive weeks prior to the
referendum in a newspaper having general circulation in the county and shall
post a copy of such notice during the same time at the door of the courthouse of
the county. The ballot shall be printed as follows:
			&#8220;Shall the chairman of the county board of supervisors, to be known as
the county chairman, be elected by the voters of the county at large?
			[ ] Yes
			[ ] No&#8221;
			The election shall be held and the results certified as provided in &#xA7;
24.2-684.

B. If a majority of the qualified voters voting in such referendum vote in favor
of the election of a county chairman of the board of supervisors from the county
at large, beginning at the next general election for the board of supervisors,
the county chairman shall be elected for a term of the same length and
commencing at the same time as that of other members of the county board of
supervisors. The county board of supervisors thereafter shall consist of one
member elected from each district of such county and a county chairman elected
by voters of the county at large. No person may be a candidate for county
chairman at the same time he is a candidate for membership on the county board
from any district in the county.
			The county chairman shall be the chairman of the county board of supervisors
and preside at the meetings thereof. The chairman shall represent the county at
official functions and ceremonial events. The chairman shall have all voting and
other rights, privileges, and duties of other members of the board and such
additional rights, privileges, and duties not in conflict with general law or
this article as the board may prescribe. The chairman also shall have the power
to set the agenda for board meetings; however, any such agenda may be modified
by an affirmative vote of the board. The duties of the chairman during board
meetings include but are not limited to (i) enforcement of time limits, as
appropriate; (ii) enforcement of the rules relating to debate and the rules
relating to order and decorum within the board; and (iii) response to inquiries
from board members relating to parliamentary procedure.
			In addition, the chairman shall have the power to (a) call special meetings
of the board in accordance with the procedures and restrictions of &#xA7;
15.2-1418, mutatis mutandis; (b) appoint county representatives to regional
boards, authorities, and commissions that are authorized in advance by the
board; however, any such appointment shall be subject to revocation by an
affirmative vote of a majority of all members elected to the board acting within
the 30-day period following that appointment; and (c) create and appoint
committees of the board and name presiding members of such committees as
authorized by the board. Any such committee or appointment shall be subject to
revocation by an affirmative vote of a majority of all members elected to the
board. However, the powers of the chairman themselves may only be modified by
unanimous vote of all board members. At the first meeting at the beginning of
its term and any time thereafter when necessary, the board of supervisors shall
elect a vice chairman from its membership, who shall perform the duties of the
chairman in his absence.

HISTORY: 1990, c. 895, § 15.1-527.3; 1997, c. 587; 2008, c. 778.