{"data":{"id":"us-va/va.-code-15.2-3801","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"Va. Code § 15.2-3801","heading":"Referendum","body":"Prior to the adoption of an ordinance petitioning the court for city status, the town council shall petition the court to order a referendum held within the town on the question of seeking city status. The provisions of § 24.2-684 shall govern the order for a referendum. The question on the ballot shall be:\"Shall the Town of ____________________ seek to become a city?[ ] Yes[ ] No.\"If a majority of the electorate voting in the referendum vote \"No,\" the town council shall not proceed in seeking city status. If a majority of the electorate voting in such referendum vote \"Yes,\" the town council shall proceed as provided in § 15.2-3800.1979, c. 85, § 15.1-982.2; 1982, c. 181; 1997, c. 587.","path":["Title 15.2. COUNTIES, CITIES AND TOWNS","Subtitle III. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS AND CHANGES OF STATUS OF COUNTIES, CITIES AND TOWNS","Chapter 38. TRANSITION OF TOWNS TO CITIES"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-3801/","current_through":"9/4/2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-04T15:14:19Z","sha256":"75c8d822a1a9f33df48f0bf375f5f1721b2ab140a7ac91cd469fe0d161a2fa46","source_id":"us-va","stale":true,"prev":"us-va/va.-code-15.2-3800","next":"us-va/va.-code-15.2-3802"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}