A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide for the partisan election of the catawba county board of education.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Section 3 of Chapter 874 of the 1969 Session Laws, as amended by Section 3 of Chapter 382 of the 1979 Session Laws, as amended by Chapter 132 of the 1995 Session Laws, reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 3. All persons desiring to be candidates for membership on said Board of Education shall file notice of candidacy with the Board of Elections of Catawba County at the same time as candidates for other county offices which notice shall state the name of each candidate, his age and place of residence, and which shall be accompanied by a filing fee of ten dollars ($10.00)."
SECTION 2.  Section 4 of Chapter 874 of the 1969 Session Laws, as amended by Chapter 132 of the 1995 Session Laws, reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 115C‑37, the Catawba County Board of Education shall be elected on a partisan basis. Except as provided by this act, the election shall be conducted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapters 115C and 163 of the General Statutes.  Members of the Board of Education of Catawba County shall take office and qualify on the first Monday in December following their election."
SECTION 3.  Section 5 of Chapter 874 of the 1969 Session Laws, as amended by Chapter 132 of the 1995 Session Laws, reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 5. All candidates in any primary and all nominees in any general election held under this Act shall be qualified electors of Catawba County who reside outside the boundaries of the Hickory Administrative School Unit and the Newton‑Conover Administrative School Unit, and shall be voted upon at large by the electors in Catawba County who reside outside the boundaries of the Hickory Administrative School Unit and the Newton‑Conover Administrative School Unit."
SECTION 4.  Chapter 874 of the 1969 Session Laws is amended by adding a new section to read:
"Sec. 6.1. Beginning in 2024, vacancies on the Catawba County Board of Education by reason other than expiration of a term of office for positions elected on a partisan basis shall be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the Board, in accordance with G.S. 115C‑37.1."
SECTION 5.(a)  G.S. 115C‑37.1(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)	This section shall apply only in the following counties: Alleghany, Beaufort, Brunswick, Burke, Caldwell, Carteret, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Craven, Dare, Davie, Graham, Guilford, Harnett, Hyde, Iredell, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Rutherford, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Vance, Washington, and Yancey."
SECTION 5.(b)  This section becomes effective December 1, 2024.
SECTION 6.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective December 1, 2023, and applies to elections held beginning in 2024.