GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 245*

 

 

Short Title:      Amend W-S Charter/Certain Candidates.

(Local)

Sponsors:

Representatives Conrad, Terry, Lambeth, and Hanes (Primary Sponsors).

For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.

Referred to:

State and Local Government I

March 6, 2017

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to amend the charter of the city of winston‑salem to establish a uniform process for the election of independent or nonpartisan candidates in municipal elections.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Paragraph 6 of Section 12A of the Charter of the City of Winston‑Salem, being Chapter 232 of the Private Laws of 1927, as amended by Chapter 13 of the 1965 Session Laws, and by Ordinance dated January 6, 2003, reads as rewritten:

"Sec. 12A. Generally.

...

6. Independent or nonpartisan candidates; petition; affidavit of candidates; filing of petition; rules and regulations governing petitions. The Forsyth County Board of Elections shall include among the candidates for municipal office, as independent or nonpartisan candidates, the name of any qualified voter who has been requested to be a candidate for office by written petitions signed by at least twenty‑five percent (25%) of those entitled to vote for a candidate for such office according to the vote cast in the last municipal election for the particular office, when such petition is accompanied by an affidavit from such proposed candidate that he seeks to become an independent or nonpartisan candidate and does not affiliate with any political party; provided, such petition is filed with the secretary of the board of elections on or before twelve o'clock Noon on the third Friday preceding the general municipal election for such office.in accordance with the uniform municipal election laws under Subchapter IX of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes.

The board of elections may prescribe rules and regulations covering the information that shall be set out in the petition to be signed by the voters requesting a person to be a candidate for any such office, such as the giving of the full name of every such voter, the street address of such voter and any other pertinent information required to facilitate the checking of such petition against the registration books.

...."

SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.