GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 20

Short Title:  Electoral College Conformance.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Gunter; Gulley, Lee, and Marshall.
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Referred to:  Constitution and Election Laws.
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January 28, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO AMEND THE STATUTES RELATING TO THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE TO CONFORM THEM TO FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS AND STATE LAW.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 163-210 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-210.  Governor to proclaim results; casting State's vote for President and Vice-President.
Upon receipt of the abstracts prepared by the State Board of Elections and delivered to him in accordance with G.S. 163-192, the Secretary of State, under his hand and the seal of his office, shall certify to the Governor the names of the persons elected to the office of elector for President and Vice-President of the United States as stated in the abstracts of the State Board of Elections. Thereupon, the Governor shall immediately issue a proclamation setting forth the names of the electors and instructing them to be present in the old Hall of the House of Representatives in the State Capitol in the City of Raleigh at noon on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December next after their election, at which time the electors shall meet and vote on behalf of the State for President and Vice-President of the United States. The Governor shall cause this proclamation to be published in the daily newspapers published in the City of Raleigh. Notice may additionally be made on a radio or television station or both, but such notice shall be in addition to the newspaper and other required notice.  The Secretary of State is responsible for making the actual arrangements for the meeting, preparing the agenda, and inviting guests.
In time so they will be received before the date fixed for the meeting of the electors, the Governor shall send by registered mail to the Archivist of the United States, either three duplicate original certificates, or one original certificate and two authenticated copies, under the great seal of the State setting forth the names of the persons chosen as presidential electors for this State and the number of votes cast for each. At the same time he shall deliver to the electors six duplicate originals of the same certificate, each bearing the great seal of the State. At any time prior to receipt of the certificate of the Governor or within 48 hours thereafter, any person elected to the office of elector may resign by submitting his resignation, written and duly verified, to the Governor. Failure to so resign shall signify consent to serve and to cast his vote for the candidate of the political party which nominated such elector.
In case of the absence, ineligibility or resignation of any elector chosen, or if the proper number of electors shall for any cause be deficient, the first and second alternates, respectively, who were nominated under G.S. 163-1(c), shall fill the first two vacancies.  If the alternates are absent, ineligible, resign, or were not chosen, then the electors present at the required meeting shall forthwith elect from the citizens of the State a sufficient number of persons to fill the deficiency, and the persons chosen shall be deemed qualified electors to vote for President and Vice-President of the United States."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 163-211 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-211.  Compensation of presidential electors.
Presidential electors shall be paid, for attending the meeting held in the City of Raleigh on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December next after their election, the sum of forty-four dollars ($44.00) per day  and traveling expenses at the rate provided by G.S. 138-6(a)(1) in going to and returning home from the required meeting."
Sec. 3. G.S. 163-1(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	On Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in the year 1968, and every four years thereafter, or on such days as the Congress of the United States shall direct, an election shall be held in all of the election precincts of the State for the election of electors of President and Vice-President of the United States. The number of electors to be chosen shall be equal to the number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which this State may be entitled. Presidential electors shall not be nominated by primary election; instead, they shall be nominated in a State convention of each political party as defined in G.S. 163-96 unless otherwise provided by the plan of organization of the political party; provided, that in the case of a candidate for President of the United States who has qualified to have his name printed on the general election ballot as an unaffiliated candidate under G.S. 163-122, that candidate shall nominate presidential electors. One presidential elector shall be nominated from each congressional district and two from the state-at-large, and in addition, the State convention of each party and the unaffiliated candidate shall each nominate two alternate electors who shall serve if their slate is elected as provided by G.S. 163-209 and if there is a vacancy as provided by G.S. 163-210."
Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification.