Section 1. Definitions

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Definitions

As used in this article (1) "county" means any existing county or any such unit hereafter created, (2) "city" means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on the first day of July, nineteen hundred seventy-one, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law, (3) "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, (4) "regional government" means a unit of general government organized as provided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by the General Assembly, (5) "general law" means a law which on its effective date applies alike to all counties, cities, towns, or regional governments or to a reasonable classification thereof, and (6) "special act" means a law applicable to a county, city, town, or regional government and for enactment shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly may increase by general law the population minima provided in this article for cities and towns. Any county which on the effective date of this Constitution had adopted an optional form of government pursuant to a valid statute that does not meet the general law requirements of this article may continue its form of government without regard to such general law requirements until it adopts a form of government provided in conformity with this article. In this article, whenever the General Assembly is authorized or required to act by general law, no special act for that purpose shall be valid unless this article so provides.

Summary: Changed definitions of cities and towns to include a date upon which the city or town became such

Election Date: November 7, 1972

Votes For Ratification: 679025

Votes Against Ratification: 191073

Percent for Ratification: 78%

Percent Against Ratification: 22%

Notes: Although the 1971 revision to the constitution stated that amendments would become effective on the date specified by the General Assembly in its amendment proposal, the act proposing this amendment did not contain an effective date because first passage of the amendment took place prior to ratification of the 1971 revision. Therefore, the effective date reflects the date of the governor’s proclamation attesting to the ratification of the amendment, which had previously served as the date of effect for amendments prior to 1971.

Amendment Source: 1972 Chap 724

Effective Date Source:

Definitions

As used in this Article (1) "county" means any existing county or any such unit hereafter created, (2) "city" means an independent incorporated community which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law, (3) "town" means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law, (4) "regional government" means a unit of general government organized as provided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by the General Assembly, (5) "general law" means a law which on its effective date applies alike to all counties, cities, towns, or regional governments or to a reasonable classification thereof, and (6) "special act" means a law applicable to a county, city, town, or regional government and for enactment shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly may increase by general law the population minima provided in this Article for cities and towns. Any county which on the effective date of this Constitution had adopted an optional form of government pursuant to a valid statute that does not meet the general law requirements of this Article may continue its form of government without regard to such general law requirements until it adopts a form of government provided in conformity with this Article. In this Article, whenever the General Assembly is authorized or required to act by general law, no special act for that purpose shall be valid unless this Article so provides.

Summary: Adds definitions for counties, cities, towns, regional governments, general laws, and special acts, allows General Assembly to increase population minimas provided, omits how population is determined, protects counties under optional forms of government

Election Date: November 3, 1970

Votes For Ratification: 576776

Votes Against Ratification: 226219

Percent for Ratification: 72%

Percent Against Ratification: 28%

Notes:

Amendment Source: 1970 Chap 786

Effective Date Source:

Definitions of "cities" and "towns"

As used in this article, the words "incorporated communities" shall be construed to relate only to cities and towns. All incorporated communities, having within defined boundaries a population of five thousand or more, shall be known as cities; and all incorporated communities, having within defined boundaries a population of less than five thousand, shall be known as towns. In determining the population of such cities and towns the General Assembly shall be governed by the last United States census, or such other enumeration as may be made by authority of the General Assembly; but nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal the charter of any incorporated community of less than five thousand inhabitants having a city charter at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, or to prevent the abolition by such incorporated communities of the corporation or hustings court thereof.

Summary: Punctuation change

Election Date: June 19, 1928

Votes For Ratification: 74109

Votes Against Ratification: 60531

Percent for Ratification: 55%

Percent Against Ratification: 45%

Notes:

Amendment Source: 1928 Revised Constitution of Virginia

Effective Date Source:

As used in this article the words "incorporated communities" shall be construed to relate only to cities and towns. All incorporated communities, having within defined boundaries a population of five thousand or more, shall be known as cities; and all incorporated communities, having within defined boundaries a population of less than five thousand, shall be known as towns. In determining the population of such cities and towns the General Assembly shall be governed by the last United States census, or such other enumeration as may be made by authority of the General Assembly; but nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal the charter of any incorporated community of less than five thousand inhabitants having a city charter at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, or to prevent the abolition by such incorporated communities of the corporation or hustings court thereof.

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Amendment Source: 1902 Virginia Constitution

Effective Date Source: