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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>348283</law_id><section_number>15.2-3543</section_number><catch_line>Electoral board, general registrar and officers of election</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="46" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="3" identifier="III">Boundary Adjustments and Changes of Status of Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="6" identifier="35">Consolidation of Localities</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="2" identifier="2">Consolidation of Certain Counties, Cities and Towns</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> If any <span class="dictionary">county</span> and all <span class="dictionary">incorporated towns</span> located therein consolidate into a <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span>, the members of the electoral board, general registrar and officers of election of the consolidating <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> shall continue to serve as like officers of the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> until the expiration of the terms to which they were appointed. <a id="paragraph-1298797" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-3543/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If one or more counties or cities consolidate into a single <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span>, the provisions set forth in this subsection shall apply as follows:
			1.&#xA0;Electoral Board. &#x2014; The terms of the electoral board members of the consolidating localities shall expire on the effective date of <span class="dictionary">consolidation</span>. The <span class="dictionary">judges</span> of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">courts</span> of the consolidating localities, no later than thirty days prior to the effective date of <span class="dictionary">consolidation</span>, shall appoint pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Appointment and terms; vacancies; chairman and secretary; certain prohibitions; training" href="/24.2-106/">24.2-106</a> for the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> an electoral board of three members who shall qualify and take office on the day following the effective date of <span class="dictionary">consolidation</span>. The term of the first member so appointed shall expire at midnight on the last day of February in the year following the year in which he takes office; the term of the second member appointed shall expire one year later; and the term of the third member shall expire two years later. At a meeting to be held on the day its members take office, the electoral board for the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> shall (i) designate one of the general registrars of the consolidating <span class="dictionary">jurisdictions</span> to serve as the general registrar of the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> until midnight on March 31 following the effective date of <span class="dictionary">consolidation</span> and (ii) appoint pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Appointment and removal of general registrar and officers of election; powers and duties in general" href="/24.2-109/">24.2-109</a> and <a class="law" title="Appointment, qualifications, and terms of officers of election" href="/24.2-115/">24.2-115</a> the officers of election for the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span>. At a meeting to be held in the first week of March following the effective date of <span class="dictionary">consolidation</span>, such electoral board shall appoint pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Appointment and removal of general registrar and officers of election; powers and duties in general" href="/24.2-109/">24.2-109</a> and <a class="law" title="Appointment, qualifications, and term of general registrar; vacancies; certain prohibitions" href="/24.2-110/">24.2-110</a> a general registrar for the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> who shall qualify and take office on April 1 following the effective date of <span class="dictionary">consolidation</span> and serve for the remainder of the term set forth in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Appointment, qualifications, and term of general registrar; vacancies; certain prohibitions" href="/24.2-110/">24.2-110</a>.<br/><br/>			2.&#xA0;General Registrar. &#x2014; The general registrars of the consolidating <span class="dictionary">jurisdictions</span> shall continue in office, with one of them designated the general registrar for the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> as hereinabove provided, until midnight on March 31 following the effective date of <span class="dictionary">consolidation</span> during which time they shall compile, on the schedule and in the manner prescribed by the State Board of Elections, the registration records for the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span>. The <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> of the consolidated <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> shall pay the salary of each such general registrar in the amount authorized by the State Board of Elections and shall be reimbursed for such compensation from the state treasury.<br/><br/>			3.&#xA0;Officers of Election. &#x2014; The terms of the officers of election of the consolidating <span class="dictionary">jurisdictions</span> shall expire on the effective date of <span class="dictionary">consolidation</span>. <a id="paragraph-1298798" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-3543/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1986, c. 312, &#xA7; 15.1-1141.2; 1997, c. 587.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
