A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide that regular municipal elections in the city of lincolnton shall be held in even‑numbered years and to extend the mayor's term from two to four years.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article III of Chapter 341 of the 1979 Session Laws, as amended by Chapter 58 of the 1983 Session Laws, reads as rewritten:
"ARTICLE III. ELECTIONS.
"Section 3.1. Method of Election. Beginning in 2018, regular municipal elections shall be held in the City every two years in even‑numbered years and shall be conducted in accordance with State law governing municipal elections. The Mayor and members of the City Council shall be elected according to the partisan primary and election method.
"Section 3.2. Election of the Mayor; Term of Office. At each regular municipal election in the City, a Mayor shall be elected from the qualified voters of the City voting at large. The Mayor whose term expires in 2017 shall continue to serve until 2018. In 2018, and quadrennially thereafter, the Mayor shall be elected for a term of four years.
"Section 3.3. Election of the City Council; Term of Office; Ward Representation. (a)  The City Council shall continue to serve four‑year staggered terms of office as set forth herein. The two members of the City Council whose terms expire in 2017 shall continue to serve until 2018. At the regular municipal election in 2018, and quadrennially thereafter, two members shall be elected to the City Council, one member from Ward One and one member from Ward Three, who shall each serve four‑year terms. The two members of the City Council whose terms expire in 2019 shall continue to serve until 2020. At the regular municipal election in 2020, and quadrennially thereafter, two members shall be elected to the City Council, one member from Ward Two and one member from Ward Four, who shall each serve four‑year terms.
(b)	Every person who is a candidate for the City Council and every person who is elected to the City Council shall reside in the ward which the person represents or seeks to represent, but all candidates shall be voted upon and elected by all the qualified voters of the City.
(c)	If a member of the City Council has been elected from a ward and during his tenure of office moves from his ward to another ward within the City, the Council member will not forfeit his office but will continue to serve as Council member for the remaining term for which he was elected.
"Section 3.4. Wards and Ward Boundaries. (a)  The City shall be divided into four wards – Ward One, Ward Two, Ward Three and Ward Four.
(b)	The boundaries of the four wards shall be those existing at the time of the ratification of this Charter, as the same are set forth on an official map or written description of the City. The official map or written description showing the current ward boundaries shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, and shall be available for public inspection. Upon alteration of the City's corporate limits, the City Council shall have the authority to revise the ward boundaries, in accordance with State law.
"Section 3.5. Unaffiliated Candidates; Nomination by Petition. Any candidate seeking nomination by petition for municipal office shall comply with the requirements of Article 11 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes, provided the Lincoln County board of elections may set the date and time completed petitions must be timely submitted for verification."
SECTION 2.  No elections shall occur in the City of Lincolnton in 2017. Municipal elections shall next occur in the City of Lincolnton in 2018.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to elections held on or after that date.