reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
WV Code § 8-5-13 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-13. Integration of Municipal Elections With System of Permanent Registration

§8-5-13. Integration of municipal elections with system of permanent registration.Notwithstanding any charter provision to the contrary, it is the duty of each city by charter provision or each municipality by ordinance to make provision for integrating the conduct of all municipal elections with the system of "permanent registration of voters" as provided in article two, chapter three of this code.
WV Code § 8-5-14 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-14. Municipal Executive Committees; Election Expenses; Applicability of State Primary and General Election Laws; Election Days

Except as otherwise provided by charter provision or ordinance or this code, municipal executive committees shall exercise similar functions and be governed by the same laws in regard to municipal primary elections and regular municipal elections as county executive committees in regard to county-state primary and general elections, so far as the same may be applicable. All expenses of conducting municipal primary elections and regular municipal elections shall be paid by the municipality. The provisions of chapter three of this code, referring more particularly to primary elections and general elections, shall, so far as the same can be applied and so far as not otherwise provided by charter provision or ordinance, govern the conduct of municipal primary elections and regular municipal elections, as the case may be. No municipal primary election shall be held on the day of the county-state primary election except as provided in section five of this article nor less than twenty-five days immediately preceding the regular municipal election, unless a shorter period of time is established by charter or ordinance.
WV Code § 8-5-15 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-15. Tie Vote

Whenever two or more individuals shall receive an equal number of legal votes for the same office, if such number be the highest cast for such office, the individuals under whose supervision the election is held shall decide by lot which of them shall be returned as elected, and shall make their return accordingly.
WV Code § 8-5-15a (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-15a. Special Municipal Elections Not Otherwise Provided For

In any instance where there is no statutory, charter or lawful ordinance provision authorizing, relating to or requiring a special municipal election, the governing body of a municipality shall, upon receipt of a proper petition, as hereinafter in this section specified, requesting a special municipal election for a proper governmental purpose, as specified in such petition, forthwith adopt a resolution or ordinance, where procedure by ordinance is required, calling and providing for a special municipal election for such purpose. Such petition must bear the signatures, written in their own handwriting, of not less than twenty percent of the qualified voters of such municipality. Such special municipal election shall be held, superintended and conducted, and the results thereof ascertained, certified, returned and canvassed in the same manner and by the same individuals as elections for municipal officers. In any instance where there is a statutory, charter or lawful ordinance provision authorizing, relating to or requiring a special municipal election upon petition or otherwise, the provisions of this section shall not be applicable and such statutory, charter or lawful ordinance provision shall govern and control in all respects, including without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the requisites of any petition for such special municipal election.
WV Code § 8-5-16 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-16. Judicial Review

A writ of error shall lie to the circuit court in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-eight of this code from any order of a county court ordering an election to be held under the provisions of this chapter. Upon the filing of a petition for a writ of error, all proceedings shall be suspended or stayed pending final adjudication of the matters involved.The order of any municipality ordering an election to be held under the provisions of this chapter shall be reviewable by the circuit court of the county in which the municipality or the major portion of the territory thereof is located upon certiorari to the governing body thereof, in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-three of this code. Upon the filing of a petition for a writ of certiorari, all proceedings shall be suspended or stayed pending final adjudication of the matters involved.
WV Code § 8-5-17 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-17. Canvassing of Elections; Contested Elections

All elections ordered and held by a county court under the provisions of this chapter shall be canvassed by such county court. All elections ordered and held by a municipality under the provisions of this chapter shall be canvassed by the governing body of such municipality.Any contest of a public question election ordered and held by a county court, or by a municipality, under the provisions of this chapter, shall be heard and decided by the county court or governing body of the municipality, as the case may be, and any such contest shall be conducted in the manner to be provided in article seven, chapter three of this code for contests of an election on a public question. Any such election may be contested by a qualified elector or voter or by a freeholder interested therein.Any contest by any candidate or candidates of an election of charter board members or of the first officers of a city, which election is held under the provisions of article three of this chapter, shall be heard and decided by the county court, and any such contest shall be conducted in the manner provided in said article seven, chapter three of this code for election contests for county or district officers in general elections.Any contest by any candidate or candidates of an election of charter board members, which election is held under the provisions of article four of this chapter, or of officers of a municipality (other than the first officers of a city) shall be heard and decided by the governing body thereof, and any such contest shall be conducted in the manner provided in said article seven, chapter three of this code for election contests for county or district officers in general elections.
WV Code § 8-5-18 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-18. Determination as to Sufficiency of a Petition Filed Under This Chapter

It shall be the right and duty of the county court, the governing body of a municipality, or other body or officer, to which or to whom any petition is presented under the provisions of this chapter, as the case may be, to determine the sufficiency of any such petition, and where no time limit is prescribed for the making of such determination, the same shall be accomplished within a reasonable period of time. Any such determination, where there is no other express right of judicial review provided, shall be reviewable by the circuit court of the county upon certiorari to the county court, governing body, or other body or officer, as the case may be, in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-three of this code; and in the case of a governing body, the appropriate circuit court shall be the circuit court of the county in which the municipality or the major portion of the territory thereof is located.
WV Code § 8-5-19 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-19. Charter or Ordinance Provisions Pertaining to Conflict of Interest; Penalties for Violation Thereof

§8-5-19. Charter or ordinance provisions pertaining to conflict of interest; penalties for violation thereof.Every city shall have plenary power and authority to provide by charter provision, and every municipality shall have plenary power and authority to provide by ordinance, that it shall be unlawful for the governing body, or any member thereof, or other officer or officers thereof, to be interested personally, either directly or indirectly, or as a member, manager, officer or stockholder of any partnership, business, firm or corporation, in any contract furnishing material, services or supplies to the municipality, or to any contractor, or workmen for the municipality, or in any manner whatsoever, whereby the taxpayers of such municipality shall become the paymaster, either directly or indirectly, or to adopt any other provisions, deemed appropriate, pertaining to conflict of interest or possible conflict of interest. Any violation of any such charter or ordinance provisions by any member of the governing body or other officer or officers thereof, shall be a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, such member or officer shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500, and shall automatically be removed from office.
WV Code § 8-5-20 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 5. Election, Appointment, Qualification and Compensation of Officers; General Provisions Relating to Officers and Employees; Elections and Petitions Generally; Conflict of Interest|§8-5-20. Triennial Audits of Certain Associations and Organizations

(a) Any voluntary association or other membership organization, whether nonprofit or for profit, the majority of the membership of which is comprised of municipalities of this state or of persons who hold elected or appointed municipal offices in this state, and which annually receives more than $5,000 in public moneys from the various municipalities of this state to pay the membership dues of municipalities or elected or appointed municipal officials, shall file with the secretary of tax and revenue on a triennial basis, beginning July 1, 1997, an audit of the receipt and disbursement of funds. The period covered by the audit shall be the previous three years or for the years since the last such audit.(b) Any audit required by the provisions of this section shall be performed by an independent certified public accountant.(c) Any voluntary association or membership organization subject to the provisions of this section which fails or refuses to file an audit shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000.
WV Code § 8-6-1 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 6. Annexation|§8-6-1. Annexation of Unincorporated Territory

§8-6-1. Annexation of unincorporated territory.(a) Unincorporated territory may be annexed to and become part of a municipality contiguous thereto only in accordance with the provisions of this article.(b) Any farmlands or operations as described in article nineteen, chapter nineteen of this code which may be annexed into a municipality shall be protected in the continuation of agricultural use after being annexed.(c) Any new imposition of a tax or any increase in the rate of tax upon any business, occupation or privilege following annexation shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of section five, article thirteen, chapter eight of this code.
WV Code § 8-6-3 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 6. Annexation|§8-6-3. Governing Body of Municipality to Certify Annexation; Order

The governing body of such municipality shall enter the results of such election in its minutes, and, when the annexation proposed is adopted, as provided in the immediately preceding section of this article, shall forward a certificate to such effect to the county court of the county wherein the municipality or the major portion of the territory thereof, including the annexed territory, is located; and such court shall thereupon enter an order in substance as follows:"A certificate of the governing body of the municipality of ............................ was this day filed showing that an annexation has been made, in the manner required by law, to the corporate limits thereof, and that by such annexation the said corporate limits are as follows:"Beginning at (here recite the boundaries as changed). It is, therefore, ordered that such annexation to said corporate limits be, and the same is hereby approved and confirmed, and the clerk of this court is directed to deliver to the said governing body a certified copy of this order as soon as practicable after the rising of this court."After the date of such order, the corporate limits of the municipality shall be as set forth therein.
WV Code § 8-6-4 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 6. Annexation|§8-6-4. Annexation Without an Election

§8-6-4. Annexation without an election.(a) The governing body of a municipality may, by ordinance, provide for the annexation of additional territory without ordering a vote on the question if: (1) A majority of the qualified voters of the additional territory file with the governing body a petition to be annexed; and (2) a majority of all freeholders of the additional territory, whether they reside or have a place of business therein or not, file with the governing body a petition to be annexed.(b) For purposes of this section, the term "qualified voter of the additional territory" includes firms and corporations in the additional territory regardless of whether the firm or corporation is a freeholder. A firm or corporation may sign a petition by its manager, president or executive officer duly designated in writing by the firm or corporation. In any instance where a freeholder leases or rents real property to a firm or corporation the freeholder and the firm or corporation shall determine which entity will be entitled to sign a petition relating to the proposed annexation.(c) The determination that the requisite number of petitioners have filed the required petitions shall be reviewable by the circuit court of the county in which the municipality or the major portion of the territory thereof, including the area proposed to be annexed is located, upon certiorari to the governing body in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-three of this code.(d) A qualified voter of the additional territory who is also a freeholder of the additional territory may join only one petition of the additional territory.(e) It shall be the responsibility of the governing body to enumerate and verify the total number of eligible petitioners, in each category, from the additional territory. In determining the total number of eligible petitioners, in each category, a freeholder or any other entity that is a freeholder shall be limited to one signature on a petition as provided in this section. There shall be allowed only one signature on a petition per parcel of property and any freehold interest that is held by more than one individual or entity shall be allowed to sign a petition only upon the approval by the majority of the individuals or entities that have an interest in the parcel of property.(f) If all of the eligible petitioners are qualified voters, only a voters' petition is required.(g) If satisfied that the petition is sufficient in every respect, the governing body shall enter that fact upon its journal and forward a certificate to that effect to the county commission of the county wherein the municipality or the major portion of the territory thereof, including the additional territory, is located. The county commission shall thereupon enter an order as described in the immediately preceding section of this article. After the date of the order, the corporate limits of the municipality shall be as set forth therein.
WV Code § 8-6-6 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 6. Annexation|§8-6-6. Duties as to Ad Valorem Taxes for Municipal Purposes on Properties in Newly Annexed Areas

ON PROPERTIES IN NEWLY ANNEXED AREAS.§8-6-6. Duties as to ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes on properties in newly annexed areas.Upon the effective date of any annexation under the provisions of this article, it shall be the duty of the governing body of the municipality to notify the county assessor of such annexation, and upon being so notified, it shall be the duty of such assessor to see to it that the properties situate within the newly annexed area are assessed with the municipal ad valorem taxes for the current fiscal year and subsequent fiscal years or the ensuing and subsequent fiscal years, depending upon the date of notification to such assessor.
WV Code § 8-7-1 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 7. Decrease of Corporate Limits|§8-7-1. Decrease of Corporate Limits

§8-7-1. Decrease of corporate limits.The corporate limits of a municipality may be decreased only in accordance with the provisions of this article.
WV Code § 8-7-3 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 7. Decrease of Corporate Limits|§8-7-3. Governing Body of Municipality to Certify Decrease in Corporate Limits; Order

The governing body of such municipality shall enter the results of such election in its minutes, and, when the decrease proposed is adopted, as provided in the immediately preceding section of this article, shall forward a certificate to such effect to the county court of the county wherein the municipality or the major portion of the territory thereof is located; and such court shall thereupon enter an order in substance as follows:"A certificate of the governing body of the municipality of ..................... was this day filed showing that a decrease has been made, in the manner required by law, in the corporate limits thereof, and that by such decrease the said corporate limits are as follows:"Beginning at (here recite the boundaries as changed). It is, therefore, ordered that such decrease in said corporate limits be, and the same is hereby approved and confirmed, and the clerk of this court is directed to deliver to the said governing body a certified copy of this order as soon as practicable after the rising of this court."After the date of such order, the corporate limits of the municipality shall be as set forth therein.
WV Code § 8-7-4 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 7. Decrease of Corporate Limits|§8-7-4. Decreasing Corporate Limits by Minor Boundary Adjustment

BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.§8-7-4. Decreasing corporate limits by minor boundary adjustment.In the event a municipality desires to decrease its corporate limits by making a minor boundary adjustment, the governing body of such municipality may apply to the county court of the county wherein the municipality or the major portion of the territory thereof is located for permission to effect such decrease in the corporate limits by minor boundary adjustment.Such application shall disclose the number of individuals residing in the territory which would be eliminated from the corporate limits by the proposed change, and shall have attached thereto an accurate map showing the metes and bounds of such territory.If satisfied that the change sought is only a minor boundary adjustment, the county court shall order publication of a notice of the proposed decrease in the corporate limits and of the date and time set by the court for a hearing on such proposal. Publication shall be as in the case of an order calling for an election, as set forth in section two of this article. A like notice shall be prominently posted at not less than five public places within the territory which would be eliminated from the corporate limits by the proposed change.If the freeholders of such territory who are present or are represented at the hearing are not substantially opposed to the proposed boundary change, the court may enter an order decreasing the corporate limits of the municipality as requested, which order may be reviewed by the circuit court as an order of a county court ordering an election may be reviewed under section sixteen, article five of this chapter. After the date of such order, the corporate limits of the municipality shall be as set forth therein, unless judicial review is sought under the provisions of said section sixteen. If the proposed change is substantially opposed at the hearing by any such freeholder, the court shall dismiss the application. Dismissal of any such application shall not preclude proceedings in accordance with the provisions of sections two and three of this article. The municipality shall pay the costs of all proceedings under this section.
WV Code § 8-9-1 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 9. Proceedings of Governing Bodies|§8-9-1. Who to Preside at Meetings of Governing Body; Quorum; Interested Member of Governing Body Not to Vote

Unless otherwise provided by charter provision, the governing body of every municipality shall be presided over at its meetings by the mayor, or, in his absence, by the recorder, or, in the absence of both the mayor and the recorder, by one of its members selected by a majority of the members of the governing body present. A majority of the members of the governing body shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. No member of the governing body of any municipality shall vote upon any ordinance, order, measure, resolution or proposition, in which he may be interested other than as a citizen of such municipality.
WV Code § 8-9-2 (2021)
2021 West Virginia Code|Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations|Article 9. Proceedings of Governing Bodies|§8-9-2. Mayor and Recorder May Vote; Tie Vote

The mayor and recorder shall, unless otherwise provided by charter provision, have votes as members of the governing body, and, in case of a tie, the presiding officer at the time shall cast the tie-breaking vote, unless he has previously voted.