GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1991 SESSION

CHAPTER 600
HOUSE BILL 1298

AN ACT AFFECTING THE ELECTION OF THE SAMPSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  Section 1 of Chapter 969 of the 1989 Session Laws reads as rewritten:
"Section 1. The Board of Commissioners of Sampson County shall consist of seven members. Sampson County is divided into five districts as set out in Section 3 of this act. The qualified voters of each district shall nominate candidates and elect a member who resides in that district for the seat apportioned to that district. All the qualified voters of Sampson County shall nominate candidates and elect two at-large members of the Board.  The primary and election shall be held and conducted in accordance with the general election laws of this State except as otherwise provided herein."
Sec. 2.  If this ratified act receives, before the beginning of the filing period for notices of candidacy for the 1992 elections, whatever approval from whatever authority of the federal government is legally necessary for its implementation, then Section 2 of Chapter 969 of the 1989 Session Laws reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 2.  (a) The terms of office of all the members of the Sampson County Board of Commissioners shall expire on the first Monday in December of 1990.
(b)	In 1990 and quadrennially thereafter members shall be elected from Districts 1, 3, and 5 for four-year terms. In 1990, members shall be elected from Districts 2 and 4 for two-year terms. In 1992 and quadrennially thereafter, members shall be elected from Districts 2 and 4 for four-year terms.
(c)	In 1992, the two at-large members of the board shall be elected in a two-seat contest. The candidate with the highest number of votes in the general election shall serve a four-year term and the candidate with the second highest number of votes shall serve a transitional two-year term. In subsequent elections, the two at-large members shall be elected to four-year terms on a staggered basis."
Sec. 3.  If this ratified act does not receive, before the beginning of the filing period for notices of candidacy for the 1992 elections, whatever approval from whatever authority of the federal government is legally necessary for its implementation, but does receive such approval by the beginning of the filing period for notices of candidacy for the 1994 elections, then Section 2 of Chapter 969 of the 1989 Session Laws reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 2.  (a) The terms of office of all the members of the Sampson County Board of Commissioners shall expire on the first Monday in December of 1990.
(b)	In 1990 and quadrennially thereafter members shall be elected from Districts 1, 3, and 5 for four-year terms. In 1990, members shall be elected from Districts 2 and 4 for two-year terms. In 1992 and quadrennially thereafter, members shall be elected from Districts 2 and 4 for four-year terms.
(c)	In 1994, the two at-large members of the board shall be elected in a two-seat contest. The candidate with the highest number of votes in the general election shall serve a four-year term and the candidate with the second highest number of votes shall serve a transitional two-year term. In subsequent elections, the two at-large members shall be elected to four-year terms on a staggered basis."
Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification; provided that Section 1 of this act shall be implemented according to Section 2 or Section 3 of this act, whichever section applies; provided further that, if the method of election provided in Section 2 or Section 3 of this act is disapproved after ratification by whatever authority of the federal government controls final approval of this act, then the two at-large members of the Board of Commissioners added by this act shall be elected to four-year terms in a two-seat race in 1994 and every four years thereafter.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 8th day of July, 1991.

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James C. Gardner
President of the Senate

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Daniel Blue, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Representatives