Virginia Code 15.2-1422: Electing a chairman and vice-chairman or a mayor and vice-mayor.
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 “chairman,” “chairwoman,” “chair,” “chairperson,” or “chair-at-large,” in the presiding officer’s discretion, if a member of a board of supervisors and “mayor” 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.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 15.2-1422
- Board of supervisors: means the governing body of a county. See Virginia Code 15.2-102
- City: means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on July 1, 1971, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-208
- Council: means the governing body of a city or town. See Virginia Code 15.2-102
- Governing body: means the board of supervisors of a county, council of a city, or council of a town, as the context may require. See Virginia Code 15.2-102
- Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
- Town: means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon, July one, nineteen hundred seventy-one, as provided by law or which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law. See Virginia Code 15.2-102