CODE OF VIRGINIA

AUTHORIZATION FOR DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION ON REFERENDUM ELECTIONS (§
24.2-687)

A. The governing body of any county, city or town may provide for the
preparation and printing of an explanation for each referendum question to be
submitted to the voters of the county, city or town to be distributed at the
polling places on the day of the referendum election. The governing body may
have the explanation published by paid advertisement in a newspaper with general
circulation in the county, city or town one or more times preceding the
referendum.The explanation shall contain the ballot question and a statement of
not more than 500 words on the proposed question. The explanation shall be
presented in plain English, shall be limited to a neutral explanation, and shall
not present arguments by either proponents or opponents of the proposal. The
attorney for the county, city or town or, if there is no county, city or town
attorney, the attorney for the Commonwealth shall prepare the explanation.
“Plain English” means written in nontechnical, readily
understandable language using words of common everyday usage and avoiding legal
terms and phrases or other terms and words of art whose usage or special meaning
primarily is limited to a particular field or profession.If the referendum
question involves the issuance of bonds by a locality, the locality shall
provide for such printed explanation. The explanation shall (i) state the
estimated maximum amount of the bonds proposed to be issued, and (ii) state the
proposed use of the bond proceeds, and if there is more than one use, state the
proposed uses for which more than 10 percent of the total bond proceeds is
expected to be used.

B. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit a county, city or town
from disseminating other neutral materials or advertisements concerning issues
of public concern that are the subject of a referendum; however, the materials
or advertisements shall not advocate the passage or defeat of the referendum
question.

C. This section shall not be applicable to statewide referenda.

D. Any failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect
the validity of the referendum.

HISTORY: 1996, c. 297; 2004, cc. 21, 399; 2006, c. 302; 2011, c. 590.