Bill Text: VA HB416 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Virginia Beach, City of; amending charter, transition of city council.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2024-05-17 - Governor: Vetoed by Governor [HB416 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HB416-Enrolled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §3.01, as amended, §3.01:1, and §§3.02:1 and 3.02:2, as amended, of Chapter 147 of the Acts of Assembly of 1962 are amended and reenacted as follows:
§3.01. Division of city into districts.
A. The city shall be divided into seven residence
ten single-member election districts of approximately equal population
which shall be numbered one through seven ten. The council shall
consist of eleven members, including the mayor, elected at
large and one member to be elected by the city at large from the
residents of each of the seven districts and three members and the mayor to be
elected by and from the city at large and from each of the ten
single-member election districts.
B. The boundaries and names of such districts shall be
established by ordinance on or before March 1, 1996, and thereafter
the boundaries shall be adjusted periodically as may be necessary to ensure
that the populations of the districts remain approximately equal.
C. The city council shall, no later than January 1, 1996,
petition the circuit court to order an advisory referendum to be held on the
question of whether the council member elected from each district shall be
elected by the qualified voters of that district rather than at large. The
wording of the question shall be determined by majority vote of the city
council and shall be included in the petition. Upon the filing of the petition,
the circuit court shall order that an advisory referendum be held on the question
in the city at the municipal elections to be held in May 1996.
§3.01:1. Implementation of districts.
A. At the May 1996 November 2024 general
election, three the members representing district 1, district
3, district 5, district 7, and the mayor shall be elected by the city at
large from the residents of the Blackwater, Princess Anne, and Virginia Beach
boroughs as such boroughs existed on January 1, 1995. The terms of the
members so elected shall commence January 1, 2025, and expire on July
1, 1998 December 31, 2028. The terms of the mayor and council
member elected by and from the city at large in May of 1996 shall expire on
July 1, 2000.
B. At the November 2026 general election in May of
1998, the members representing district 2, district 4, district 6,
district 8, district 9, and district 10 shall be elected at large from
districts numbered one through three shall be elected for terms of two years
and the members elected at large from districts numbered four through seven
shall be elected for terms of four years. The terms of the two council
members elected by and from the city at large in May of 1998 shall expire on
July 1, 2002 members so elected shall commence January 1, 2027, and
expire on December 31, 2030. Thereafter, all
C. All members shall be elected for terms of four years.
§3.02:1. Election of council members.
Pursuant to an ordinance adopted by city council on June
27, 2006, city City council regular elections shall take
place during the general election in November 2008, and during the November
general election in even years thereafter, for council members whose terms
expire at the end of December of that year. Council members, including the
mayor, whose terms expire as of June 30, 2008, or June 30, 2010, shall continue
in office until their successors have been elected at the November election and
take office on January 1. The term of office for each council member shall
commence on January 1 next following the date of election and shall continue
until his successor has been duly elected and qualified at November
general elections. Each candidate shall state, at the time of filing,
whether he is running at-large, from the district of his residence or
for mayor. Candidates for council shall be nominated only by petition in the
manner prescribed by general law.
§3.02:2. Election of mayor.
The mayor shall be elected at the general election in November
2008, and each fourth year thereafter, to serve for a term of four years.
Candidates for mayor shall run for one of the at-large seats at large.
A candidate running for mayor shall not run for any other seat.
In the event any councilman council member,
including the mayor, shall decide during his term of office to be a candidate
for mayor, he shall tender his resignation as a councilman council
member not less than ten days prior to the date for the filing of petitions
as required by general law. Such resignation shall be effective on December 31,
shall constitute the councilman's council member's intention to
run for mayor, shall require no formal acceptance by the remaining
councilmen council members and shall be final and irrevocable when
tendered.
In the event the mayor shall decide during his term of office to be a candidate for one of the single-member election districts, he shall tender his resignation as mayor not less than ten days prior to the date for the filing of petitions as required by general law. Such resignation shall be effective on December 31, shall constitute the mayor's intention to run for one of the single-member election districts, shall require no formal acceptance by the remaining council members and shall be final and irrevocable when tendered.
The unexpired portion of the term of any council member who has resigned to run for mayor or mayor who has resigned to run for one of the single-member election districts shall be filled at the same general election.
2. That §3.02:3 of Chapters 127 and 762 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020 is repealed.
