A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to stagger the terms of the members of THE wake county Board of education, to clarify that the current election districts are those districts established in 2011, and to change the election to odd‑numbered years.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Section 7 of Chapter 717, Session Laws of 1975, as amended by Sections 2 and 3 of Chapter 321, Session Laws of 1977, and as rewritten by Section 3 of Chapter 742 of the 1981 Session Laws and amended by Section 2 of S.L. 2013‑110, and as ordered by Raleigh Wake Citizens Association, et al., v. Wake County Board of Elections, et al., Court Order 5:15‑CV‑00156‑D, Document 104, dated August 9, 2016, and Raleigh Wake Citizens Association, et al., v. Wake County Board of Elections, et al., Consent Decree 5:15‑CV‑00156‑D, Document 129, dated December 28, 2017, reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 7. (a) In 2020, four members of the Wake County Board of Education shall be elected for three‑year terms by the nonpartisan plurality election method in accordance with G.S. 163‑292 and G.S. 163‑294.2 from Districts 1, 2, 7, and 9 established in 2011 by the Wake County Board of Education under G.S. 115C‑37(i). Only persons who are registered to vote in the district shall be permitted to file a notice of candidacy for election in that district. Notwithstanding G.S. 163‑294.2(c) and G.S. 163‑106, candidates seeking office shall file their notices of candidacy with the board of elections no earlier than 12:00 noon on the second Monday in June and no later than 12:00 noon on the first Friday in July (except if that is the 4th day of July then at 12:00 noon on the next business day) preceding the election. Such election shall be governed by the provisions of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes and shall be held to coincide with the general election for county officers in even‑numbered years.
Beginning in 2021, the members of the Wake County Board of Education shall be elected on a nonpartisan plurality basis on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd‑numbered years from the single member districts established in 2011 by the Wake County Board of Education under G.S. 115C‑37(i), with the results determined as provided by G.S. 163‑292. Only persons who are registered to vote in the district shall be permitted to file a notice of candidacy for election in that district. The districts, as established for the purpose of this section, may be subject to change in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 115C‑37(i). Except as otherwise provided by this section, elections shall be administered in accordance with Articles 23 and 24 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes.
(b)	The five members of the Wake County Board of Education who were elected in 2018 for two‑year terms from Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 established in 2011 by the Wake County Board of Education under G.S. 115C‑37(i), or any member appointed by the remaining members of the board to fill a vacancy for one of those seats, shall have their terms extended for one year until the 2021 election, as described in subsection (a) of this section, and shall serve until a successor has been elected and qualified. In 2021, and quadrennially thereafter, five members of the board shall be elected from Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 to serve a term of four years. The qualified voters of each district shall elect a person who resides in that district for the seat apportioned to that district. Only the qualified voters of the district may vote in that election.
(c)	In 2023, and quadrennially thereafter, four members shall be elected from Districts 1, 2, 7, and 9 for four‑year terms. The qualified voters of each district shall elect a person who resides in that district for the seat apportioned to that district. Only the qualified voters of the district may vote in that election."
SECTION 2.  Section 5 of S.L. 2013‑110 is repealed.
SECTION 3.  This act does not affect the terms of office of any person elected in 2018 from Districts 1, 2, 7, and 9 to the Wake County Board of Education. Each member of the Wake County Board of Education elected in 2018 from Districts 1, 2, 7, and 9, or any member appointed by the remaining members of the Board to fill a vacancy of any of these seats, shall serve until a successor has been elected and qualified.
SECTION 4.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.