GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2011
H D
HOUSE DRH70083-LB-171A (02/24)
Short Title: Special Election Dates. |
(Public) |
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Sponsors: |
Representatives H. Warren, Cleveland, Brawley, and Bradley (Primary Sponsors). |
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Referred to: |
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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide that except in the case of an emergency county special elections may be held only on the date of the general election and municipal special elections may be held only on the date of the general election or the date of the municipal general election.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 163-287 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-287. Special elections; procedure for calling.
Any city, whether its elections are conducted by the county
board of elections or the municipal board of elections, or any special district
shall have authority to call special elections as permitted by law. Prior to
calling a special election, the city council or the governing body of the
special district shall adopt a resolution specifying the details of the
election, and forthwith deliver the resolution to the appropriate board of
elections. The resolution shall call on the board of elections to conduct the
election described in the resolution and shall state the date on which the
special election is to be conducted. The Except in the case of a bond
referendum where the Local Government Commission has found an emergency to the
public health or safety, a special election for a city may only
be held at the same time as the municipal general election or at the
same time as a State general election. Except in the case of a bond referendum
where the Local Government Commission has found an emergency to the public
health or safety, a special election for a county or special district may be
held only at the same time as a State general election. any other State,
county or municipal primary, election or special election or referendum, but
may not otherwise be held within the period of time beginning 30 days before
and ending 30 days after the date of any other primary, election, special
election or referendum held for that city or special district.
Legal notice of the special election shall be published no less than 45 days prior to the special election. The appropriate board of elections shall be responsible for publishing the legal notice. The notice shall state the date and time of the special election, the issue to be submitted to the voters, and the precincts in which the election will be held. This paragraph shall not apply to bond elections."
SECTION 2. G.S. 18B-601(f) reads as rewritten:
"(f) Election Date.
- The board of elections shall set the date for the alcoholic beverage
election, which may not be sooner than 60 days nor later than 120 days from the
date the request was received from the governing body or the petition was
verified by the board. board, except if the next date permitted under
G.S. 163-287 is after the expiration of the 120 day period, the election
shall be held then. No An alcoholic beverage election may be held
on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November of an even-numbered
year. held only on a date permitted by G.S. 163-287."
SECTION 3. G.S. 105-465 reads as rewritten:
"§ 105-465. County election as to adoption of local sales and use tax.
The board of elections of any county, upon the written request of the board of county commissioners, or upon receipt of a petition signed by qualified voters of the county equal in number to at least fifteen percent (15%) of the total number of votes cast in the county, at the last preceding election for the office of Governor, shall call a special election for the purpose of submitting to the voters of the county the question of whether a one percent (1%) sales and use tax will be levied.
The special election shall be held under the same rules applicable to the election of members of the General Assembly. No new registration of voters shall be required. All qualified voters in the county who are properly registered not later than 21 days (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) prior to the election shall be entitled to vote at the election. The county board of elections shall give at least 20 days' public notice prior to the closing of the registration books for the special election.
The county board of elections shall prepare ballots for the special election. The question presented on the ballot shall be "FOR one percent (1%) local sales and use tax on items subject to State sales and use tax at the general State rate and on food" or "AGAINST one percent (1%) local sales and use tax on items subject to State sales and use tax at the general State rate and on food".
The county board of elections shall fix the date of the
special election, election on a date permitted by
G.S. 163-287, except that the special election shall not be held on
the date or within 60 days of any biennial election for county officers, nor within
one year from the date of the last preceding special election under this
section."
SECTION 4. G.S. 105-473(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a) The board of elections of any county, upon the written request of the board of county commissioners thereof, or upon receipt of a petition signed by qualified voters of the county equal in number to at least fifteen percent (15%) of the total number of votes cast in the county at the last preceding election for the office of Governor, shall call a special election for the purpose of submitting to the voters of the county the question of whether the levy of a one percent (1%) sales and use tax theretofore levied should be repealed.
The special election shall be held under the same rules and regulations applicable to the election of members of the General Assembly. No new registration of voters shall be required. All qualified voters in the county who are properly registered not later than 21 days (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) prior to the election shall be entitled to vote at said election. The county board of elections shall give at least 20 days' public notice prior to the closing of the registration books for the special election.
The county board of elections shall prepare ballots for the special election which shall contain the words "FOR repeal of the one percent (1%) local sales and use tax levy," and the words "AGAINST repeal of the one percent (1%) local sales and use tax levy," with appropriate squares so that each voter may designate his vote by his cross (X) mark.
The county board of elections shall fix the date of the
special election; election on a date permitted by G.S. 163-287; provided,
however, that the special election shall not be held on the day of any
biennial election for county officers, nor within 60 days thereof, nor within
one year from the date of the last preceding special election held under this
section."
SECTION 5. G.S. 160A-103 reads as rewritten:
"§ 160A-103. Referendum on charter amendments by ordinance.
An ordinance adopted under G.S. 160A-102 that is not
made effective upon approval by a vote of the people shall be subject to a
referendum petition. Upon receipt of a referendum petition bearing the
signatures and residence addresses of a number of qualified voters of the city
equal to at least 10 percent of the whole number of voters who are registered
to vote in city elections according to the most recent figures certified by the
State Board of Elections or 5,000, whichever is less, the council shall submit
an ordinance adopted under G.S. 160A-102 to a vote of the people. The date
of the special election shall be fixed at on a date permitted
by G.S. 163-287; but not more than 120 nor fewer than 60 days after
receipt of the petition. petition, except if the next date permitted
under G.S. 163-287 is after the expiration of the 120- day period, the
election shall be held then. A referendum petition shall be addressed to
the council and shall identify the ordinance to be submitted to a vote. A
referendum petition must be filed with the city clerk not later than 30 days
after publication of the notice of adoption of the ordinance."
SECTION 6. G.S. 160A-104 reads as rewritten:
"§ 160A-104. Initiative petitions for charter amendments.
The people may initiate a referendum on proposed charter
amendments. An initiative petition shall bear the signatures and resident
addresses of a number of qualified voters of the city equal to at least ten percent
(10%) of the whole number of voters who are registered to vote in city
elections according to the most recent figures certified by the State Board of
Elections or 5,000, whichever is less. The petition shall set forth the
proposed amendments by describing them briefly but completely and with
reference to the pertinent provisions of G.S. 160A-101, but it need not
contain the precise text of the charter amendments necessary to implement the
proposed changes. The petition may not propose changes in the alternative, or
more than one integrated set of charter amendments. Upon receipt of a valid
initiative petition, the council shall call a special election on the question
of adopting the charter amendments proposed therein, and shall give public
notice thereof in accordance with G.S. 163-287. The date of the special
election shall be fixed at on a date permitted by G.S. 163-287;
but not more than 120 nor fewer than 60 days after receipt of the petition.
petition, except if the next date permitted under G.S. 163-287 is after
the expiration of the 120-day period, the election shall be held then. If a
majority of the votes cast in the special election shall be in favor of the
proposed changes, the council shall adopt an ordinance amending the charter to
put them into effect. Such an ordinance shall not be subject to a referendum
petition. No initiative petition may be filed (i) between the time the council
initiates proceedings under G.S. 160A-102 by publishing a notice of
hearing on proposed charter amendments and the time proceeding under that
section have been carried to a conclusion either through adoption or rejection
of a proposed ordinance or lapse of time, nor (ii) within one year and six
months following the effective date of an ordinance amending the city charter
pursuant to this Article, nor (iii) within one year and six months following
the date of any election on charter amendments that were defeated by the
voters.
The restrictions imposed by this section on filing initiative petitions shall apply only to petitions concerning the same subject matter. For example, pendency of council action on amendments concerning the method of electing the council shall not preclude an initiative petition on adoption of the council-manager form of government.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the submission of more than one proposition for charter amendments on the same ballot so long as no proposition offers a different plan under the same option as another proposition on the same ballot."
SECTION 7. G.S. 153A-60 reads as rewritten:
"§ 153A-60. Initiation of alterations by resolution.
The board of commissioners shall initiate any alteration in the structure of the board by adopting a resolution. The resolution shall:
(1) Briefly but completely describe the proposed alterations;
(2) Prescribe the manner of transition from the existing structure to the altered structure;
(3) Define the electoral districts, if any, and apportion the members among the districts;
(4) Call a special
referendum on the question of adoption of the alterations. The referendum shall
be held and conducted by the county board of elections. The referendum may be
held only on a date permitted by G.S. 163-287. at the same time
as any other state, county or municipal primary, election, special election or
referendum, or on any date set by the board of county commissioners, provided,
that such referendum shall not be held within the period of time beginning 60
days before and ending 60 days after any other primary, election, special
election or referendum held in the county.
Upon its adoption, the resolution shall be published in full."
SECTION 8. G.S. 159-61(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b) The date of a bond
referendum shall be fixed by the governing board, but shall not be more than
one year after adoption of the bond order. order, except if the next
date permitted under G.S. 163-287 is after the expiration of the one-year
period, the election shall be held then. Except if the Local Government Commission
finds that an emergency to the public health or safety necessitates an earlier
date, the election may be held only on a date permitted by G.S. 163-287. The
If the Local Government Commission finds that an emergency to the public
health or safety necessitates an earlier date, the governing board may call
a special referendum for the purpose of voting on a bond issue on any day,
including the day of any regular or special election held for another purpose
(unless the law under which the bond referendum or other election is held
specifically prohibits submission of other questions at the same time). A
special bond referendum may not be held within 30 days before or 10 days after
a statewide primary, election, or referendum, or within 30 days before or 10
days after any other primary, election, or referendum to be held in the same
unit holding the bond referendum and already validly called or scheduled by law
at the time the bond referendum is called. The clerk shall mail or deliver a
certified copy of the resolution calling a special bond referendum to the board
of elections that is to conduct it within three days after the resolution is
adopted, but failure to observe this requirement shall not in any manner affect
the validity of the referendum or bonds issued pursuant thereto. Bond referenda
shall be conducted by the board of elections conducting regular elections of
the county, city, or special district. In fixing the date of a bond referendum,
the governing board shall consult the board of elections in order that the
referendum shall not unduly interfere with other elections already scheduled or
in process. Several bond orders or other matters may be voted upon at the same
referendum."
SECTION 9. This act is effective with respect to elections held on or after January 1, 2012.