GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2001

 

 

SESSION LAW 2001-289

HOUSE BILL 31

 

 

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR SELECTION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IF THE ELECTION RESULTS HAVE NOT BEEN PROCLAIMED BY THE SIXTH DAY BEFORE ELECTORS ARE TO MEET, AND BY THE GOVERNOR IF ELECTORS HAVE NOT BEEN SELECTED BY THE DAY BEFORE ELECTORS ARE TO MEET.

 

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

SECTION 1.  Article 18 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§  163-213. Appointment of Presidential Electors by General Assembly in certain circumstances, by the Governor in certain other circumstances.

(a)       Appointment by General Assembly if No Proclamation by Six Days Before Electors' Meeting Day. - As permitted by 3 U.S.C. § 2, whenever the appointment of any Presidential Elector has not been proclaimed under G.S. 163-210 before noon on the date for settling controversies specified by 3 U.S.C. § 5, and upon the call of an extra session pursuant to the North Carolina Constitution for the purposes of this section, the General Assembly may fill the position of any Presidential Electors whose election is not yet proclaimed.

(b)       Appointment by Governor if No Appointment by the Day Before Electors' Meeting Day. - If the appointment of any Presidential Elector has not been proclaimed under G.S. 163-210 before noon on the date for settling controversies specified by 3 U.S.C. § 5, nor appointed by the General Assembly by noon on the day before the day set for the meeting of Presidential Electors by 3 U.S.C. § 7, then the Governor shall appoint that Elector.

(c)       Standard for Decision by General Assembly and Governor. - In exercising their authority under subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the General Assembly and the Governor shall designate Electors in accord with their best judgment of the will of the electorate. The decisions of the General Assembly or Governor under subsections (a) and (b) of this section are not subject to judicial review, except to ensure that applicable statutory and constitutional procedures were followed. The judgment itself of what was the will of the electorate is not subject to judicial review.

(d)       Proclamation Before Electors' Meeting Day Controls. - If the proclamation of any Presidential Elector under G.S. 163-210 is made any time before noon on the day set for the meeting of Presidential Electors by 3 U.S.C. § 7, then that proclamation shall control over an appointment made by the General Assembly or the Governor. This section does not preclude litigation otherwise provided by law to challenge the validity of the proclamation or the procedures that resulted in that proclamation."


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

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 10th day of July, 2001.

 

 

                                                                    s/ Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         President of the Senate

 

 

                                                                    s/ James B. Black

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

 

                                                                    s/ Michael F. Easley

                                                                         Governor

 

 

Approved 9:50 a.m. this 19th day of July, 2001