As used in this title unless such construction would be inconsistent with the context or manifest intent of the statute:

"Board of supervisors" means the governing body of a county.

"City" means any independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on the first day of July, nineteen hundred seventy-one, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law.

"Constitutional officer" means an officer provided for pursuant to Article VII, § 4 of the Constitution.

"Council" means the governing body of a city or town.

"Councilman" or "member of the council" means a member of the governing body of a city or town.

"County" means any existing county or such unit hereafter created.

"Governing body" means the board of supervisors of a county, council of a city, or council of a town, as the context may require.

"Locality" or "local government" shall be construed to mean a county, city, or town as the context may require.

"Municipality," "incorporated communities," "municipal corporation," and words or terms of similar import shall be construed to relate only to cities and towns.

"Supervisor" means a member of the board of supervisors of a county.

"Town" means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon, July one, nineteen hundred seventy-one, as provided by law or which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law.

"Voter" means a qualified voter as defined in § 24.2-101.

Code 1950, § 15-1; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-6; 1997, c. 587.