                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ELECTING A CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN OR A MAYOR AND VICE-MAYOR (§ 15.2-1422)

Unless the presiding officer is elected by popular vote, every governing body,
at its first meeting after taking office, shall elect one of its number as
presiding officer. Such officer shall be called &#8220;chairman,&#8221;
&#8220;chairwoman,&#8221; &#8220;chair,&#8221; &#8220;chairperson,&#8221; or
&#8220;chair-at-large,&#8221; in the presiding officer&#8217;s discretion, if a
member of a board of supervisors and &#8220;mayor&#8221; if a member of a city
or town council. Such member, if present, shall preside at the first meeting and
all other meetings during the term for which so elected. The governing body also
shall elect a vice-chairman or vice-mayor, as the case may be, who shall preside
at meetings in the absence of the chairman or mayor and may discharge any duty
of the chairman or mayor during his absence or disability. Chairmen and
vice-chairmen and mayors and vice-mayors may be so elected to serve for terms
corresponding with their terms as supervisors or councilmen or may be elected
for such other period as determined by the governing body. Whenever any board or
council at the time of such election, fails to designate the specific term of
office for which a chairman or vice-chairman or a mayor or vice-mayor is
elected, it shall be presumed that such officers were elected for a term of one
year and shall serve until their successors have been elected and qualify.
Chairmen and vice-chairmen and mayors and vice-mayors may succeed themselves in
office. In the case of the absence from any meeting of the chairman and
vice-chairman or mayor and vice-mayor, the members present shall choose one of
their number as temporary presiding officer.

HISTORY: 1997, c. 587; 2020, c. 133.