If the officers of election fail to deliver the materials to the clerk of the circuit court, or to the principal office of the general registrar, as required by § 24.2-668 before the time for the electoral board to meet and open the returns, the clerk of the circuit court shall dispatch, to obtain such returns, a law-enforcement officer, who shall be subject to the same penalties and entitled to the same compensation as an officer of election for such service.
Code 1950, § 24-269; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-145; 1993, c. 641; 1995, c. 197.