Each electoral board shall meet in the month of May or June in 2007, and every four years thereafter, and shall appoint a general registrar, who shall be a qualified voter of the county or city for which he is appointed unless such county or city has a population of 25,000 or less. In the case of a city that is wholly contained within one county, the city electoral board may appoint a qualified voter of that county to serve as city general registrar. General registrars shall serve four-year terms beginning July 1, 2007, and each fourth year thereafter, and continue in office until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

The electoral board shall fill any vacancy in the office of general registrar for the unexpired term. The electoral board shall declare vacant and fill the office of the general registrar if the appointee fails to qualify and deliver a copy of his oath to the secretary of the electoral board within 30 days after he has been notified of his appointment.

No general registrar shall hold any other office, by election or appointment, while serving as general registrar; however, with the consent of the electoral board, he may undertake other duties which do not conflict with his duties as general registrar. General registrars shall not serve as officers of election. The election or appointment of a general registrar to any other office shall vacate the office of the general registrar.

No general registrar shall be eligible to offer for or hold an office to be filled by election in whole or in part by the qualified voters of his jurisdiction at any election held during the time he serves as general registrar or for the six months thereafter.

The electoral board shall not appoint to the office of general registrar any person who is the spouse of an electoral board member or any person, or the spouse of any person, who is the parent, grandparent, sibling, child, or grandchild of an electoral board member.

No general registrar shall serve as the chairman of a political party or other officer of a state, local or district level political party committee. No general registrar shall serve as a paid or volunteer worker in the campaign of a candidate for nomination or election to an office filled by election in whole or in part by the qualified voters of his jurisdiction. The restrictions of this paragraph shall apply to paid assistant registrars but shall not apply to unpaid assistant registrars.

Code 1950, §§ 24-30, 24-35, 24-36, 24-52, 24-52.1, 24-53, 24-55, 24-61, 24-65, 24-66, 24-118.1, 24-199; 1954, c. 691; 1958, c. 576; 1962, c. 475; 1964, c. 608; 1968, cc. 97, 141; 1970, c. 462, §§ 24.1-32, 24.1-34, 24.1-43, 24.1-44; 1973, c. 30; 1974, c. 428; 1975, c. 515; 1976, c. 12; 1978, c. 778; 1980, c. 639; 1981, c. 425; 1982, cc. 290, 650; 1983, c. 511; 1984, c. 480; 1985, c. 197; 1986, c. 558, § 24.1-33.2; 1988, c. 528; 1989, c. 227; 1993, c. 641; 1995, cc. 835, 848; 1996, c. 308; 2004, cc. 27, 391; 2009, c. 403; 2018, cc. 692, 693.