Va. Code § 58.1-3371
Unless the county has a permanent board of equalization appointed according to law, the board of supervisors or other governing body of any county operating under the county executive form of government, or the county manager form of organization and government provided for in Chapter 5 (§ 15.2-500 et seq.) or Chapter 6 (§ 15.2-600 et seq.) of Title 15.2, shall for the year following any year a general reassessment or annual or biennial assessment is conducted create and appoint for the county a board of equalization of real estate assessments. For any county operating under the county executive form of government, the board shall be composed of not less than three nor more than the number of districts for the election of members of the board of supervisors in the county. In addition to such members, at the request of the local governing body, the circuit court for the locality may appoint not more than two alternate members. The qualifications, terms, and compensation of alternate members shall be the same as those of regular members. A regular member when he knows he will be absent from or will have to abstain from any proceeding at a meeting shall notify the chairman of the board of equalization at least 24 hours prior to the meeting of such fact. The chairman may select an alternate to serve in the absent or abstaining member's place and the records of the board shall so note. Such alternate member may vote on any proceeding in which a regular member is absent or abstains. A regular member shall have the right to apply to the board of equalization for relief the same as any other taxpayer. If a regular member applies for relief, and one or more alternate members has been appointed pursuant to this section, then the chairman shall appoint an alternate member to hear and vote on such regular member's application for relief. If the chairman applies for relief, then the vice chairman shall appoint an alternate member to hear and vote on the chairman's application for relief.
The terms of the regular and alternate members of any board so appointed shall expire on December 31 of the year in which they are appointed. Members of any board shall have the qualifications prescribed by § 58.1-3374 and shall conduct their business as required by § 58.1-3378.
Va. Code § 58.1-3371