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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>347325</law_id><section_number>15.2-1414</section_number><catch_line>Governing bodies may have a legal enumeration of the population</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="46" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="5" identifier="14">Governing Bodies of Localities</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> wishing to have a legal enumeration of the population of the <span class="dictionary">locality</span>, or part thereof, may make application therefor to the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> for the <span class="dictionary">locality</span>. When the application is made, the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall forthwith divide the <span class="dictionary">locality</span>, or part thereof, into such districts, with well-defined boundaries, as may appear advisable and shall appoint for each of the districts one enumerator. Before entering on their duties, such appointees shall take an <span class="dictionary">oath</span> before a notary public or other officer qualified to administer <span class="dictionary">oaths</span> under the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of this Commonwealth, for the faithful discharge of their duties. The enumerators shall at once proceed to enumerate the actual bona fide inhabitants of their respective districts. They shall report to the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> the result of their enumeration and a list of the persons enumerated by them within a reasonable time after their appointment, and a copy of the list of persons so enumerated by them shall be furnished by the enumerators to the clerk of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, who shall receive the list and keep it open to public inspection. Upon <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> produced before him, the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> may add to the list the name of any person improperly omitted and may strike from the list the name of any person improperly listed. If it appears advisable to the <span class="dictionary">judge</span>, he may <span class="dictionary">order</span> that the enumeration for any or all of the districts be retaken under all the provisions of this section by other enumerators, who shall be forthwith appointed by him. The <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall cause to be tabulated and consolidated the lists and return to the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> the results thereof, in accordance with the application of the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span>. The <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall allow each enumerator a reasonable fee for each day actually employed by him in making the enumeration. He shall certify the allowance and costs to the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> for payment out of the local treasury, and the allowance shall be a legal charge upon the governmental unit requesting the enumeration.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 15-19; 1962, c. 623, &#xA7; 15.1-17; 1997, c. 587.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
