NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1959 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 175

HOUSE BILL 346

 

 

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 186, PRIVATE LAWS OF 1909, RELATING TO THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF EDENTON IN CHOWAN COUNTY.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

 

Section 1. Section 2 of Article II, entitled "Elections", of Chapter 186, Private Laws of 1909, is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following:

"Elections shall be held at some convenient polling place to be selected by the Chowan County Board of Elections in each of said wards and a registrar and two judges of election who shall be of good character shall be appointed by the said Board of Elections for each ward."

Sec. 2. Section 4 of Article II, entitled "Elections", of Chapter 186, Private Laws of 1909, is rewritten to read as follows:

"Sec. 4. (a) The Chowan County Board of Elections shall be the Board of Canvassers, and shall meet on the first Friday after the election to canvass the vote. The returns of the election shall be made to the Chairman of said Board before that time, and the Chairman shall present to the said Board of Canvassers the names of those persons receiving the highest number of votes for the various offices to be filled, who shall be declared elected, and shall receive a certificate of election under the seal of the town, signed by the mayor and clerk. The canvass of votes shall be spread on the journal, together with the result, stating the names of all persons declared to be elected by the canvassers, and the decision on each proposition voted upon. The neglect of any officer to qualify within ten days after notice of his election shall be deemed a refusal to accept. Whenever there is a tie in the election for any office, the Board of Canvassers shall determine, by lot, the person entitled to receive the certificate of election. It shall be the duty of the Chairman of said County Board of Elections to preserve intact all ballots cast in any election for town officers for a period of one year after the same have been delivered to him by the judges of such elections.

(b)       The elections herein provided shall be conducted by the Chowan County Board of Elections under the same statutory rules and regulations provided for municipal elections under Article 3 of Chapter 160 of the General Statutes and all amendments thereto not inconsistent with the specific provisions of this Act. The said Board of Elections shall have the same power and authority over said municipal elections that it now has with respect to State and county elections. Provided, no oath with respect to any particular party shall be required of any candidate or voter as a prerequisite to his or her qualifying as a candidate or voter. Provided further, that the qualifications for voters in municipal elections shall be the same as for voters for the office of members of the General Assembly in general elections, and each voter must vote in person and there shall be no voting by absentee ballot."

Sec. 3. Section 5 of Article III, entitled "The Board of Councilmen", of Chapter 186, Private Laws of 1909, is hereby rewritten to read as follows:

"Sec. 5. The mayor and each of the councilmen and the five members of the Board of Public Works shall be not less than twenty-one (21) years of age, a citizen of the United States, and for three years immediately preceding his election a resident of the Town of Edenton."

Sec. 4. All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 5. This Act shall be in full force and effect from and after its ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 27th day of March, 1959.