NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1959 SESSION

CHAPTER 792
HOUSE BILL 841

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR INCREASING THE NUMBER OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF WAKE COUNTY FROM FIVE TO SEVEN AND RELATING TO THE ELECTION AND TERMS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN WAKE COUNTY.

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1. Subject to the will of the voters of Wake County as expressed in a special election hereinafter provided for, there shall be, and the same are hereby created, five districts in Wake County for the election of County Commissioners.
Sec. 2. Said five districts shall comprise the following townships:
(a)	District number one shall be composed of Little River, Marks Creek and St. Matthews Townships.
(b)	District number two shall be composed of St. Mary's, Swift Creek, Panther Branch and Middle Creek Townships.
(c)	District number three shall be composed of Meredith, Cary, Buckhorn, Cedar Fork, Holly Springs and White Oak Townships.
(d)	District number four shall be composed of Barton's Creek, Wake Forest, Neuse, Leesville, House Creek and New Light Townships.
(e)	District number five shall be composed of Raleigh Township.
Sec. 3. In the primary and general elections in 1960, and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be nominated and elected for a term of four years each one county commissioner from Districts numbers four and five. At the primary and general elections in 1962, there shall be nominated and elected for terms of four years each one county commissioner each from districts numbers one, two and three. Thereafter, as their terms of office expire the commissioners shall be elected for terms of four years each and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.
Sec. 4. The candidates in the primary from each respective district shall be voted on by all the voters of Wake County and the candidate or candidates from each respective district who shall receive the majority of votes cast shall be declared to be the nominee or nominees of his or their party, duly nominated as the candidate or candidates from said district for the general election, and the said candidates shall be voted on in the ensuing general election by all the voters of Wake County.
Sec. 5. The general laws governing the election of county commissioners not in conflict with this Act shall apply to nomination and election of County Commissioners in Wake County.
Sec. 6. Upon approval of this Act by the voters of Wake County, at the primary and general elections to be held in Wake County in 1962 there shall be nominated and elected from district number five two additional county commissioners. At the general election in 1962 the candidate from district number five receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected and shall serve for a term of four years, and the candidate receiving the next highest number of votes shall be elected and shall serve for a term of two years. Thereafter, as their terms of office expire, candidates for said offices shall be elected for terms of four years each and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.
Sec. 7. There is hereby ordered a special election to be held in Wake County on the date which may be established for the regular biennial primaries, at which the terms and provisions of this Act shall be submitted to the voters of Wake County. The Wake County Board of Elections shall prepare and distribute ballots on which shall be printed the words and figures "FOR the proposal to increase the membership of the Board of County Commissioners of Wake County from five to seven so as to provide a total of three commissioners from Raleigh Township" and "AGAINST the proposal to increase the membership of the Board of County Commissioners of Wake County from five to seven so as to provide a total of three commissioners from Raleigh Township", with voting squares to the left of the words "FOR" and "AGAINST".
Sec. 8. If at the special election a majority of the voters of Wake County voting in said election cast their ballots "FOR the proposal to increase the membership of the Board of County Commissioners of Wake County from five to seven so as to provide a total of three commissioners from Raleigh Township" the provisions of this Act shall forthwith be effective. If at the said special election a majority of the voters of Wake County voting in said election cast their ballots "AGAINST the proposal to increase the membership of the Board of County Commissioners of Wake County from five to seven so as to provide a total of three commissioners from Raleigh Township", then the provisions of this Act shall be ineffective and the number, election and terms of the County Commissioners of Wake County shall be and remain as presently provided by law.
Sec. 9. After said special election above provided for, the Wake County Board of Elections shall meet, canvass the returns and declare the results thereof.
Sec. 10. All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed.
Sec. 11. Except as otherwise provided by express terms, 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 9th day of June, 1959.