Senate committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes. Makes organizational changes. Makes conforming changes to act’s long and short titles, the effective date of the act’s changes to the Charter of the Town of Madison, and the effective date of the act itself.

Adds the following new content.

Section 2.

Amends SL 1903-363, Section 4, as amended, to require elections in Faith to be held at the time of the general election in each even-numbered year, and conducted in accordance with the uniform municipal election laws in GS Chapter 163. Also amends Section 3, as amended, to require that the Town aldermen serve a term of four years.

Prohibits conducting municipal elections in Faith in 2025. Extends the terms of office for the aldermen in Faith serving on the act's effective date by one year. Requires regular municipal elections to be held in Faith every four years beginning in 2026. Specifies that in 2026, and quadrennially thereafter, five aldermen are to be elected to serve four-year terms. Applies to elections held in the town after the act becomes law.

Section 3.

Amends Article III of the Charter of the Town of China Grove (SL 2002-42) as follows. Directs that all regular municipal elections will be held on even-numbered years (was, odd-numbered years) at the time of the general election. Specifies that the Aldermen are to be elected to staggered four-year terms. Makes clarifying and technical changes.

Requires that when elections resume in even-numbered years beginning in 2026, they will be with the same staggering of terms as when elections were conducted in odd-numbered years. (Currently, elections are staggered with two alderman seats and the mayoral seat up for re-election starting 2003 and quadrennially thereafter with the other three alderman seats up for reelection starting in 2005 and quadrennially thereafter.) Directs the town not to hold municipal elections in 2025. Extends the terms by one year of: (1) the three Aldermen whose terms expire in 2025 and (2) the two Aldermen and the Mayor whose terms expire in 2027. Applies to elections held on or after the act becomes law.