NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1973 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 425

HOUSE BILL 1218

 

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 2, PRIVATE LAWS OF 1925, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF THE MAYOR AND GOVERNING BODY OF THE TOWN OF FOREST CITY.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1. Subject to approval of the voters as provided in Section 2 of this Act, Chapter 2, Private Laws of 1925 is hereby amended by rewriting the first paragraph of Section 5 thereof to read as follows:

"Sec. 5. Officers(a)  The Town of Forest City shall be governed by a mayor and a Board of Councilmen composed of five members who shall be elected as provided herein. The mayor shall serve for a term of four years, and members of the Board of Councilmen shall serve staggered terms of four years.

(b)       Beginning with the regular municipal election to be held in November, 1973, the mayor shall be elected for a term of two years. The three candidates for councilmen receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected for terms of four years, and the two candidates for councilmen receiving the next highest number of votes shall be elected for terms of two years. Thereafter, as the terms of mayor and councilmen expire, their successors shall be elected for terms of four years.

(c)       Elections in the Town of Forest City shall be held and conducted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Articles 23 and 24 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes relating to municipal elections."

Sec. 2. The Board of Elections responsible for conducting elections in the Town of Forest City, shall at the regular municipal election to be held in November, 1973, hold and conduct a special election to determine whether the mayor and members of the Board of Councilmen shall be elected for terms as specified in Section 1 of this Act. The special election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws and regulations applicable to elections in the Town. No new registration of voters shall be required. The Board of Elections shall cause notice of the special election to be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the Town, at least once 15 days before the registration records close prior to the election. The issue on the ballot shall be as follows:

"FOR: Four-year term for mayor and four-year staggered terms for councilmen.

AGAINST: Four-year term for mayor and four-year staggered terms for councilmen.

Sec. 3. If a majority of the votes cast shall be in favor of a four-year term for mayor and four-year staggered terms for councilmen, then Section 1 of this Act shall become effective upon the certification of the results of the election. If a majority of the votes be "AGAINST: Four-year term for mayor and four-year staggered terms for councilmen", then this act shall be null and void and Section 1 shall have no effect.

Sec. 4. This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 9th day of May, 1973.