A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT directing the city of asheville to create electoral districts and, if electoral districts are not timely created, providing for the creation of those districts.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. Creation of Electoral Districts. – By November 1, 2017, the City of Asheville shall amend its charter to create six single‑member electoral districts governing the nomination and election of City Council members. Electoral districts established pursuant to this section shall be for use in the 2019 municipal elections. The City shall create districts that comply with State and federal law and (i) are reasonably compact and geographically diverse, (ii) are contiguous, and (iii) have a population deviation of no more than plus or minus five percent (5%). A candidate who seeks office shall represent the district in which the candidate resides. Only the qualified voters in the district shall nominate and elect candidates residing in the district. The mayor shall be nominated and elected from the City at large in accordance with G.S. 160A‑101(8)a. Upon creating electoral districts, the City shall file a copy of its charter amendments in accordance with G.S. 160A‑111 and submit a report of the completed plans to the Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 15, 2017.
SECTION 2.  If the City of Asheville fails to create electoral districts as required by Section 1 of this act, the North Carolina General Assembly, in the 2018 Regular Session of the 2017 General Assembly, shall establish electoral districts for the City of Asheville.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to elections held on or after that date.