CHAP. 443.--An ACT to provide for an election to take the sense of the qualified voters of Accomac county, or any magisterial district thereof, on the question of a stock law for the said county or district.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be lawful at any time for the judge of the county court of Accomac county, on petition of five hundred qualified voters of said county, or on petition of two hundred of such qualified voters in any magisterial district or districts of said county, to order an election in said county, district, or districts, as may be, to take the sense of the qualified voters thereof on the question of a stock law for said county, district, or districts. Such election shall be held in accordance with the general provisions of the ballot law now in force in this State, except that the ballots to be voted shall have printed thereon, "For a stock law"; "Against a stock law." But the manner of receiving, counting, and certification of the said ballots shall be done as now provided for in the receiving, counting, and certifying of ballots in accordance with an act entitled "an act to provide a method of voting by ballot," approved' March sixth, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, and other acts amendatory thereto.

2. And if it shall appear from the abstracts, certificates, and returns of such election that a majority of such votes were cast in favor of a stock law, then the court shall declare that after six months from the date of such election the boundary lines of each lot or tract of land in said county, or in said district or districts, as may be, shall be deemed a lawful fence as to any or all of the animals mentioned in section twenty hundred and forty-two of the Code of Virginia, and to such extent section twenty hundred and thirty-eight of said Code shall be inoperative from and after the said six months in said county, district, or districts in which such votes have been taken, and the court shall order such declaration to be published at least once a month for four successive months following upon the results of such election.

3. But in the event a majority of the votes in such election shall be cast against a' stock law, then section twenty hundred and thirty-eight of the Code, and all other laws now in force requiring a lawful fence in said county, shall continue in full force and effect as to said county, district, or districts, as may be, in which said vote was taken: provided, that no such election shall be held except after due notice of at least thirty days, such notice to be posted at the courthouse door of said county, and published in some newspaper printed in said county for three successive weeks. And provided, further, that only one such election shall be held in the county or in the same district within a period of twelve months.

4. This act shall be in force from its passage.