ORDINANCE NO. 08-E(1)
AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE CHANGING THE POLLING PLACE FOR
THE KESWICK PRECINCT OF THE RIVANNA MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT
WHEREAS, Virginia Code § 24.2-307 requires that each polling place be established by ordinance; and
WHEREAS, Albemarle County Code § 2-103(C)(4) establishes the Union Grove Baptist Church, 471 Black Cat Road, as the polling place for the Keswick Precinct of the Rivanna Magisterial District; and
WHEREAS, the Union Grove Baptist Church has sustained structural damage and is unable to serve as a polling place for the indeterminate future; and
WHEREAS, the Zion Hill Baptist Church, 802 Zion Hill Road, has very recently agreed to make its buildings available as a polling place; and
WHEREAS, after a polling place is changed by an ordinance adopted by the Board of Supervisors, the County is required to obtain a preclearance under the Voting Rights Act from the United States Department of Justice before changing a polling place and, under normal circumstances, such a change would be submitted at least ninety days prior to an election to allow the Department of Justice to review the request and to allow the Albemarle County General Registrar sufficient time to notify voters of the polling place change; and
WHEREAS, the presidential primary elections will be held on February 12, 2008 and there is inadequate time to provide the notice required by Virginia Code § 15.2-1427 before adopting an ordinance changing the polling place, obtaining expedited Department of Justice review, and notifying voters of the polling place change; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors finds that an emergency exists requiring the adoption of this Ordinance without prior public notice pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-1427.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED THAT:
Section 1. Change of polling place for the Keswick Precinct.
The polling place for the Keswick Precinct of the Rivanna Magisterial District is changed from Union Grove Baptist Church, 471 Black Cat Road to the Zion Hill Baptist Church, 802 Zion Hill Road.
Section 2. Immediate effect; emergency.
This Ordinance shall take effect immediately, being adopted under emergency procedures pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-1427, and shall remain in effect not longer than sixty days unless readopted in conformity with the applicable provisions of the Virginia Code.