SB522: Election district boundaries; counties and cities not to split precincts, etc.

SENATE BILL NO. 522

Offered January 10, 2018
Prefiled January 9, 2018
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-307.1, relating to duty of local governing bodies to ensure that no precinct is split by a state or local election district line; exceptions.
Patrons-- Barker and Ebbin

Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 24.2-307.1 as follows:

§ 24.2-307.1. Local governing body to ensure that no precinct is split by a state or local election district line; exceptions.

County and city governing bodies shall establish precinct boundaries in each year ending in one, immediately after the completion of decennial redistricting, so that no precinct is split between two or more congressional districts, State Senate districts, House of Delegates districts, or county or city election districts. The local governing body may request a waiver from the State Board of Elections to establish precinct boundaries that result in a split precinct when it is impossible to meet the required minimum number of registered voters for a precinct. The State Board may grant such waiver or it may deny the request when it determines that it would be more appropriate for the Board to provide an exception to the minimum number of registered voters pursuant to § 24.2-309.