15.2-1644 - Petition for removal of county courthouse; writ of election.
§ 15.2-1644. Petition for removal of county courthouse; writ of election.
A. Whenever a number of voters equal to at least one third of the voters of acounty registered in the county on the January 1 preceding filing of thepetition, petition the circuit court of such county, or whenever thegoverning body of any county by resolution duly adopted requests the circuitcourt for such county, for an election in such county on the question of theremoval of the courthouse to one or more places specified in the petition orresolution, such court shall issue a writ of election in accordance withArticle 5 (§ 24.2-681 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 24.2, which shall fixthe day of holding such election. Such petition shall also state the amountto be appropriated by the board of supervisors for the purchase of land,unless the land is to be donated, and for the erection of necessary buildingsand improvements at the new location.
B. If the courthouse is used before and after removal for any city as well asfor the county, then the petition shall be signed by a number of voters equalto at least one-third of the total number of voters registered in thelocality on the January 1 preceding filing of the petition. The registeredvoters of such city shall be eligible to sign the petition. The petitionshall state the amounts to be appropriated by both the county and city. Thevoters of such city shall be eligible to vote in any election on the questionof relocating the courthouse. The court shall issue a writ of election tosuch city the same as issued to and for the county.
The votes of such city voters shall be treated as if they were cast byqualified voters of the county for the purposes of these sections (§§15.2-1644 through 15.2-1654).
(Code 1950, § 15-43; 1956, c. 95; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-559; 1971, Ex. Sess.,cc. 42, 245; 1975, c. 517; 1978, c. 380; 1997, c. 587.)