{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/15.2-1420.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/15.2-1420.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/15.2-1420.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/15.2-1420.html"}],"law_id":347332,"edition_id":2,"section_id":347332,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1420","catch_line":"How questions determined; tie breaker","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 15-245; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-540; 1972, cc. 734, 790; 1974, c. 550; 1980, c. 172; 1994, c. 550; 1997, c. 587; 2007, c. 833.","full_text":"All questions submitted to the governing body for decision shall be determined by a majority of the members voting on any such question unless another method of determination is required by the Constitution of Virginia or general law.\n\nIn counties which have designated a tie breaker pursuant to \u00a7 15.2-1421, in any case in which there is a tie vote of the board upon any question when all the members are not present, the question shall be passed by till the next meeting when it shall again be voted upon even though all members are not present; in any case in which there is a tie vote on any question after complying with the herein above procedure, the clerk shall record the vote and immediately notify the tie breaker elected by the voters as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1421, to give the casting vote in case of a tie, if that is practicable, and request his presence at the present meeting of the board; but if that is not practicable then the board may adjourn to a day fixed in the minutes of the board, or in case of a failure to agree on a day, to a day fixed by the clerk and entered by him on the minutes. At the present meeting or on the day named in the minutes the tie breaker shall attend. He shall be entitled to be fully advised as to the matter upon which he is to vote, and if not prepared to cast his vote at the time he may require the clerk to enter an order adjourning the meeting to some future day to be named in the minutes not to exceed thirty days and from time to time he shall have continuances entered until he is ready to vote, not to exceed thirty days. When he casts his vote the clerk shall record his vote and the tie shall be broken, and the question shall be decided as he casts his vote. If a meeting for any reason is not held on the day named in the minutes, the clerk shall enter on the minute book a day within ten days as a substitute day and duly notify all the members, and this shall continue until a meeting is held. After a tie has occurred, the tie breaker shall be considered a member of the board for the purpose of counting a quorum for the sole purpose of breaking the tie. Final votes on any ordinance or resolution shall be in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article VII, Sections 7 and 9 of the Constitution of Virginia.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1295978,"text":"All questions submitted to the governing body for decision shall be determined by a majority of the members voting on any such question unless another method of determination is required by the Constitution of Virginia or general law.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1295979,"text":"In counties which have designated a tie breaker pursuant to \u00a7 15.2-1421, in any case in which there is a tie vote of the board upon any question when all the members are not present, the question shall be passed by till the next meeting when it shall again be voted upon even though all members are not present; in any case in which there is a tie vote on any question after complying with the herein above procedure, the clerk shall record the vote and immediately notify the tie breaker elected by the voters as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1421, to give the casting vote in case of a tie, if that is practicable, and request his presence at the present meeting of the board; but if that is not practicable then the board may adjourn to a day fixed in the minutes of the board, or in case of a failure to agree on a day, to a day fixed by the clerk and entered by him on the minutes. At the present meeting or on the day named in the minutes the tie breaker shall attend. He shall be entitled to be fully advised as to the matter upon which he is to vote, and if not prepared to cast his vote at the time he may require the clerk to enter an order adjourning the meeting to some future day to be named in the minutes not to exceed thirty days and from time to time he shall have continuances entered until he is ready to vote, not to exceed thirty days. When he casts his vote the clerk shall record his vote and the tie shall be broken, and the question shall be decided as he casts his vote. If a meeting for any reason is not held on the day named in the minutes, the clerk shall enter on the minute book a day within ten days as a substitute day and duly notify all the members, and this shall continue until a meeting is held. After a tie has occurred, the tie breaker shall be considered a member of the board for the purpose of counting a quorum for the sole purpose of breaking the tie. Final votes on any ordinance or resolution shall be in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article VII, Sections 7 and 9 of the Constitution of Virginia.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":49850,"edition_id":2,"name":"Meetings of Governing Bodies","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":3,"parent_id":49847,"metadata":{"child_laws":8,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:38","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:28","permalink":{"id":1379919,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49850,"identifier":"2","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2","url":"\/15.2\/II\/14\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49847,"edition_id":2,"name":"Governing Bodies of Localities","identifier":"14","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":49834,"metadata":{"child_laws":42,"child_structures":5},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:28","permalink":{"id":1379825,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49847,"identifier":"14","token":"15.2\/II\/14","url":"\/15.2\/II\/14\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49834,"edition_id":2,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":49831,"metadata":{"child_laws":1081,"child_structures":112},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:24","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:25","permalink":{"id":1379371,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49834,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49831,"edition_id":2,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":46,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":2297,"child_structures":225},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:22","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:22","permalink":{"id":1378281,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49831,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":347326,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1415","catch_line":"At what meetings governing body may act","url":"\/15.2-1415\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1415","metadata":false},{"id":347328,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1416","catch_line":"Regular meetings","url":"\/15.2-1416\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1416","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Nancy Lund v. Rowan County, North Carolina","case_number":"15-1591","citation":"837 F.3d 407","date":"2016-09-19","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/4257648\/nancy-lund-v-rowan-county-north-carolina\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. Reversed and remanded with directions by published opinion. Judge AGEE wrote the majority opinion, .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"1":{"name":"Nancy Lund v. Rowan County, North Carolina","case_number":"15-1591","citation":"863 F.3d 268","date":"2017-07-14","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/4409203\/nancy-lund-v-rowan-county-north-carolina\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. *301AGEE, Circuit Judge, .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"},"2":{"name":"Nancy Lund v. Rowan County, North Carolina","case_number":"15-1591","citation":null,"date":"2016-09-21","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/4258896\/nancy-lund-v-rowan-county-north-carolina\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. PUBLISHED .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit"}}}},{"id":347327,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1416.1","catch_line":"Actions prior to convening of meeting","url":"\/15.2-1416.1\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1416.1","metadata":false},{"id":347329,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1417","catch_line":"Special meetings","url":"\/15.2-1417\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1417","metadata":false},{"id":347330,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1418","catch_line":"Same; how called","url":"\/15.2-1418\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1418","metadata":false},{"id":347331,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1419","catch_line":"Meeting times of certain authorities, boards and commissions","url":"\/15.2-1419\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1419","metadata":false},{"id":347332,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1420","catch_line":"How questions determined; tie breaker","url":"\/15.2-1420\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1420","metadata":false},{"id":347333,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1421","catch_line":"Tie breakers","url":"\/15.2-1421\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1421","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":347331,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1419","catch_line":"Meeting times of certain authorities, boards and commissions","url":"\/15.2-1419\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1419","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":347333,"structure_id":49850,"section_number":"15.2-1421","catch_line":"Tie breakers","url":"\/15.2-1421\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1421","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-1420\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1962, chapter 623; in 1972, chapters 734 and 790; in 1974, chapter 550; in 1980, chapter 172; in 1994, chapter 550<\/a>; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>; in 2007, chapter 833<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":347333,"section_number":"15.2-1421","catch_line":"Tie breakers","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1421\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":347333,"section_number":"15.2-1421","catch_line":"Tie breakers","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1421\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1379945,"object_type":"law","relational_id":347332,"identifier":"15.2-1420","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1420","url":"\/15.2-1420\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-1420\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/2\/15.2-1420","dublin_core":{"Title":"How questions determined; tie breaker","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-1420","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

All questions submitted to the governing body<\/span> for decision shall be determined by a majority of the members voting on any such question unless another method of determination is required by the Constitution of Virginia or general law<\/span>.<\/p>

In counties which have designated a tie breaker pursuant to \u00a7 15.2-1421<\/a>, in any case in which there is a tie vote of the board upon any question when all the members are not present, the question shall be passed by till the next meeting when it shall again be voted upon even though all members are not present; in any case in which there is a tie vote on any question after complying with the herein above procedure, the clerk shall record the vote and immediately notify the tie breaker elected by the voters<\/span> as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1421<\/a>, to give the casting vote in case of a tie, if that is practicable, and request his presence at the present meeting of the board; but if that is not practicable then the board may adjourn to a day fixed in the minutes of the board, or in case of a failure to agree on a day, to a day fixed by the clerk and entered by him on the minutes. At the present meeting or on the day named in the minutes the tie breaker shall attend. He shall be entitled to be fully advised as to the matter upon which he is to vote, and if not prepared to cast his vote at the time he may require the clerk to enter an order<\/span> adjourning the meeting to some future day to be named in the minutes not to exceed thirty days and from time to time he shall have continuances<\/span> entered until he is ready to vote, not to exceed thirty days. When he casts his vote the clerk shall record his vote and the tie shall be broken, and the question shall be decided as he casts his vote. If a meeting for any reason is not held on the day named in the minutes, the clerk shall enter on the minute book a day within ten days as a substitute day and duly notify all the members, and this shall continue until a meeting is held. After a tie has occurred, the tie breaker shall be considered a member of the board for the purpose of counting a quorum for the sole purpose of breaking the tie. Final votes on any ordinance<\/span> or resolution shall be in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article VII, Sections 7 and 9 of the Constitution of Virginia.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nHOW QUESTIONS DETERMINED; TIE BREAKER (\u00a7 15.2-1420)\n\nAll questions submitted to the governing body for decision shall be determined\nby a majority of the members voting on any such question unless another method\nof determination is required by the Constitution of Virginia or general law.\n\nIn counties which have designated a tie breaker pursuant to \u00a7 15.2-1421, in any\ncase in which there is a tie vote of the board upon any question when all the\nmembers are not present, the question shall be passed by till the next meeting\nwhen it shall again be voted upon even though all members are not present; in\nany case in which there is a tie vote on any question after complying with the\nherein above procedure, the clerk shall record the vote and immediately notify\nthe tie breaker elected by the voters as provided in \u00a7 15.2-1421, to give the\ncasting vote in case of a tie, if that is practicable, and request his presence\nat the present meeting of the board; but if that is not practicable then the\nboard may adjourn to a day fixed in the minutes of the board, or in case of a\nfailure to agree on a day, to a day fixed by the clerk and entered by him on the\nminutes. At the present meeting or on the day named in the minutes the tie\nbreaker shall attend. He shall be entitled to be fully advised as to the matter\nupon which he is to vote, and if not prepared to cast his vote at the time he\nmay require the clerk to enter an order adjourning the meeting to some future\nday to be named in the minutes not to exceed thirty days and from time to time\nhe shall have continuances entered until he is ready to vote, not to exceed\nthirty days. When he casts his vote the clerk shall record his vote and the tie\nshall be broken, and the question shall be decided as he casts his vote. If a\nmeeting for any reason is not held on the day named in the minutes, the clerk\nshall enter on the minute book a day within ten days as a substitute day and\nduly notify all the members, and this shall continue until a meeting is held.\nAfter a tie has occurred, the tie breaker shall be considered a member of the\nboard for the purpose of counting a quorum for the sole purpose of breaking the\ntie. Final votes on any ordinance or resolution shall be in accordance with the\nprocedure provided for in Article VII, Sections 7 and 9 of the Constitution of\nVirginia.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 15-245; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-540; 1972, cc. 734, 790;\n1974, c. 550; 1980, c. 172; 1994, c. 550; 1997, c. 587; 2007, c. 833.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}