GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 798*

Short Title:  Wilmington Elections.	(Local)
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Sponsors: Senator Jordan.
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Referred to:  Constitution and Election Laws.
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April 12, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTION OF THE WILMINGTON CITY COUNCIL.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The manner of election of the Wilmington City Council is changed as follows:
(1)	Terms of office of members of the council: Members of the council shall serve terms of office of either two or four years. All of the terms need not be of the same length, and all of the terms need not expire in the same year.
(2)	Number of members of the council: The council shall consist of any number of members not less than  three nor more than 12.
(3)	Mode of election of the council:
a.	All candidates shall be nominated and elected by all the qualified voters of the city.
b.	The city shall be divided into electoral districts; council members shall be apportioned to the districts so that the quotients obtained by dividing the population of each district by the number of council members apportioned to the district do not violate any constitutional provisions; the qualified voters of each district shall nominate and elect candidates who reside in the district for seats apportioned to that district; and all the qualified voters of the city shall nominate and elect candidates apportioned to the city at large, if any.
c.	The city shall be divided into electoral districts; council members shall be apportioned to the districts so that the quotients obtained by dividing the population of each district by the number of council members apportioned to the district do not violate any constitutional provisions; and candidates shall reside in and represent the districts according to the apportionment plan adopted, but all candidates shall be nominated and elected by all the qualified voters of the city.
d.	The city shall be divided into electoral districts; council members shall be apportioned to the districts so that the quotients obtained by dividing the population of each district by the number of council members apportioned to the district do not violate any constitutional provisions; in a nonpartisan primary, the qualified voters of each district shall nominate candidates who reside in the district equal to twice the number of seats apportioned to that district, and the qualified voters of the entire city shall nominate two candidates for each seat apportioned to the city at large, if any; and all candidates shall be elected by all the qualified voters of the city.
	If either of options b, c, or d is adopted, the city is divided into the requisite number of electoral districts according to the apportionment plan adopted. No more than one-half of the council may be apportioned to the city at large.
(4)	Elections:
a.	Partisan. – Municipal primaries and elections shall be conducted on a partisan basis as provided in G.S. 163-291.
b.	Nonpartisan Plurality. – Municipal elections shall be conducted as provided in G.S. 163-292.
c.	Nonpartisan Election and Runoff Election. – Municipal elections and runoff elections shall be conducted as provided in G.S. 163-293.
d.	Nonpartisan Primary and Election. – Municipal primaries and elections shall be conducted as provided in G.S. 163-294.
Sec. 2.  This act is effective upon ratification.