PARTISAN ELECTIONS IN HAYWOOD COUNTY.

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View NCGA Bill Details2021
House Bill 998 (Local) Filed Wednesday, May 18, 2022
AN ACT REQUIRING THAT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTIONS CURRENTLY CONDUCTED ON A NONPARTISAN BASIS BE CONDUCTED ON A PARTISAN BASIS IN HAYWOOD COUNTY.
Intro. by Pless, Clampitt.

Status: Ref to the Com on Local Government, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (House action) (May 19 2022)
H 998

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: May 18 2022 - View Summary

    Part I.

    Amends the Charter of the Town of Canton, SL 1907-90, as amended, to specify that the Town's officers are to be elected according to the partisan election method set out in GS 163-291. Makes technical changes.

    Adds an identical provision to the Charter of the Town of Clyde, SL 1889-189, as amended, to provide that the Town's officers are to be elected on a partisan basis pursuant to GS 163-291. Updates a statutory cross reference.

    Amends the Charter of the Town of Maggie Valley, SL 1973-1337, and the Charter of the Town of Waynesville, SL 1995-126, to change the election of each Town's officers from nonpartisan to partisan. Updates the statutory cross reference. Makes technical changes to SL 1995-126.

    Repeals local acts relating to nonpartisan municipal elections for the above municipalities. Provides that the act has no effect on the filling of a vacancy in a municipal election that occurs for a seat elected prior to January 1, 2023. Directs any local act requiring a municipal election to be conducted in an odd-numbered year to be held as a partisan election beginning in 2023. Effective for primaries and elections held on or after January 1, 2023. 

    Part II.

    Effective December 1, 2023, and applicable to elections held beginning in 2024, enacts a new section to SL 1963-126, as amended, directing that the Haywood County Board of Education (Board) be elected on a partisan basis by the voters of the county at large, with members required to reside in and represent districts as established by that act. Provides for vacancies to be filled by the remaining Board members, and details the appointment and term of such appointees. Provides for Board members to take their oath on the first Monday in December following the year in which the general election is held for county officers. Details filing requirements for candidates.

    Effective December 1, 2024, makes conforming changes to GS 115C-37.1 to include Haywood County in the scope of the statute, which provides the procedure for filling vacancies in offices of county boards elected on a partisan basis in certain counties. 

    Specifies that the terms of Board members elected in 2020 or 2022, or any member appointed by the remaining members to fill a vacancy of a member elected in 2020 or 2022, are not affected by the act.

    Repeals specified sections of SL 1963-126, as amended, relating to the nonpartisan election of the Board.