GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1987 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 80

HOUSE BILL 232

 

AN ACT TO REQUIRE TRAINING OF SPECIAL REGISTRATION COMMISSIONERS.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 163-41(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b) Appointment of Special Registration Commissioners.  In each county the county board of elections shall appoint as special registration commissioners the persons required by the next paragraph of this subsection, and may appoint additional persons as special registration commissioners. Special registration commissioners shall serve a term to expire on the date on which registrars and judges are appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this subsection, and may be removed with cause. A special registration commissioner for a county must be a registered voter of that county.

In each county, the county chairman of each of the two political parties having the greatest voter registration in the State may each, from time to time until the maximum number of special registration commissioners allowed by this sentence are appointed, recommend voters who are eligible and who are residents of the county for appointment as special registration commissioners in a number not to exceed:

(1)       One per 2,500 (or major fraction) residents of the county according to the most recent decennial federal census; or

(2)       Five, whichever is greater, but in no case greater than 100. If such recommendations are received by the county board of elections at least seven days prior to the next meeting of the county board of elections, the county board of elections shall at that meeting appoint as special registration commissioners the qualified persons on each list. The county board of elections shall meet within 45 days of receiving such nominations.

No person shall be eligible to serve as a special registration commissioner, who holds any elective office under the government of the United States, or of the State of North Carolina or any political subdivision thereof.

No person shall be eligible to serve as a special registration commissioner, who serves as chairman of any state, congressional district, county, or precinct political party or political organization.

No person shall be eligible to serve as a special registration commissioner who is a candidate for nomination or election.

No special registration commissioner who is the wife, husband, mother, father, son, daughter, brother or sister of any candidate for nomination or election may serve as special registration commissioner during the period beginning when the person files a notice of candidacy or otherwise obtains ballot access and ending on the date of the primary if the candidate is on the primary ballot or ending on the day of the general election if the candidate is on the general election ballot. The county board of elections shall temporarily disqualify the special registration commissioner for that period and shall have authority to appoint a temporary substitute who is a member of the same political party, to serve until the special registration commissioner is no longer disqualified.

If the commissioner being temporarily replaced was appointed from a list of names which the board of elections was required to appoint one of, then the board of elections must appoint the temporary substitute from a list of two names submitted by the chairman of that political party.

Before being eligible to take the oath of office, each special registration commissioner must receive the same training in registering voters as is required of registrars and judges under G.S. 163-80(d).

Before entering upon his duties each special registration commissioner shall take and subscribe the following oath of office to be administered by an officer authorized to administer oaths and file it with the county board of elections:

'I, ____________ , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States; that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of North Carolina, and to the constitutional powers and authorities which are or may be established for the government thereof; that I will endeavor to support, maintain and defend the Constitution of said State, not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States; that I will administer the duties of my office as special registration commissioner for __________ County without fear or favor, to the best of my knowledge and ability, according to law; so help me, God.'"

Sec. 2.  This act applies with respect to all special registration commissioners appointed on or after July 1, 1987.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 22nd day of April, 1987.