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Form a Business

G.S. ch. 153A, art. 4

G.S. ch. 153A, art. 4
in effect

G.S. 153A-25 Qualifications for appointive office.

§ 153A-25.  Qualifications for appointive office. The board of commissioners may fix qualifications for any appointive office, including a requirement that a person serving in such an office reside within the county. The board may not waive qualifications fixed by law for an appointive office but may fix additional qualifications for that office. (1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-26 Oath of office.

§ 153A-26.  Oath of office. Each person elected by the people or appointed to a county office shall, before entering upon the duties of the office, take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed in Article VI, Sec. 7 of the Constitution. The oath of office shall be administered by some person authorized by law to administer oaths and shall be filed with the clerk to the board of commissioners. On the first Monday in December following each general election at which county officers are elected, the persons who have been elected to county office in that election shall assemble at the regular meeting place of the board of commissioners. At that time each such officer shall take and subscribe the oath of office. An officer not present at this time may take and subscribe the oath at a later time. (1868, c. 20, s. 8; 1874-5, c. 237, s. 3; Code, ss. 707, 708; 1895, c. 135, ss. 3, 4; Rev., ss. 1316, 1318; C.S., ss. 1295, 1297; 1965, c. 26; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 2015-24, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-27 Vacancies on the board of commissioners.

§ 153A-27.  Vacancies on the board of commissioners. (a) If a vacancy occurs on the board of commissioners, the remaining members of the board shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy. If the number of vacancies on the board is such that a quorum of the board cannot be obtained, the chairman of the board shall appoint enough members to make up a quorum, and the board shall then proceed to fill the remaining vacancies. If the number of vacancies on the board is such that a quorum of the board cannot be obtained and the office of chairman is vacant, the clerk of superior court of the county shall fill the vacancies upon the request of any remaining member of the board or upon the petition of any five registered voters of the county. If for any other reason the remaining members of the board do not fill a vacancy within 60 days after the day the vacancy occurs, the clerk shall immediately report the vacancy to the clerk of superior court of the county. The clerk of superior court shall, within 10 days after the day the vacancy is reported to him, fill the vacancy. (b) If the member being replaced was serving a two-year term, or if the member was serving a four-year term and the vacancy occurs later than 60 days before the general election for county commissioner held after the first two years of the term, the appointment to fill the vacancy is for the remainder of the unexpired term. Otherwise, the term of the person appointed to fill the vacancy extends to the first Monday in December next following the first general election for county commissioner held more than 60 days after the day the vacancy occurs; at that general election, a person shall be elected to the seat vacated, either to the remainder of the unexpired term or, if the term has expired, to a full term. (c) To be eligible for appointment to fill a vacancy, a person must (i) be a member of the same political party as the member being replaced, if that member was elected as the nominee of a political party, and (ii) be a resident of the same district as the member being replaced, if the county is divided into electoral districts. The board of commissioners or the clerk of superior court, as the case may be, shall consult the county executive committee of the appropriate political party before filling a vacancy, but neither the board nor the clerk of the superior court is bound by the committee's recommendation. (Code, s. 719; 1895, c. 135, s. 7; Rev., s. 1314; 1909, c. 490, s. 1; C.S., s. 1294; 1959, c. 1325; 1965, cc. 239, 382; 1967, cc. 7, 424, 439, 1022; 1969, cc. 82, 222; 1971, c. 743, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1985, c. 563, ss. 7.3, 7.4; 2017-2, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-27.1 Vacancies on board of commissioners in certain counties.

§ 153A-27.1.  Vacancies on board of commissioners in certain counties. (a) If a vacancy occurs on the board of commissioners, the remaining members of the board shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy. If the number of vacancies on the board is such that a quorum of the board cannot be obtained, the chairman of the board shall appoint enough members to make up a quorum, and the board shall then proceed to fill the remaining vacancies. If the number of vacancies on the board is such that a quorum of the board cannot be obtained and the office of chairman is vacant, the clerk of superior court of the county shall fill the vacancies upon the request of any remaining member of the board or upon the petition of any registered voters of the county. (b) If the member being replaced was serving a two-year term, or if the member was serving a four-year term and the vacancy occurs later than 60 days before the general election for county commissioner held after the first two years of the term, the appointment to fill the vacancy is for the remainder of the unexpired term. Otherwise, the term of the person appointed to fill the vacancy extends to the first Monday in December next following the first general election for county commissioner held more than 60 days after the day the vacancy occurs; at that general election, a person shall be elected to the seat vacated for the remainder of the unexpired term. (c) To be eligible for appointment to fill a vacancy, a person must (i) be a member of the same political party as the member being replaced, if that member was elected as the nominee of a political party, and (ii) be a resident of the same district as the member being replaced, if the county is divided into electoral districts. (d) If the member who vacated the seat was elected as a nominee of a political party, the board of commissioners, the chairman of the board, or the clerk of superior court, as the case may be, shall consult the county executive committee of the appropriate political party before filling the vacancy, and shall appoint the person recommended by the county executive committee of the political party of which the commissioner being replaced was a member, if the party makes a recommendation within 30 days of the occurrence of the vacancy. (e) Whenever because of G.S. 153A-58(3)b. or because of any local act, only the qualified voters of an area which is less than the entire county were eligible to vote in the general election for the member whose seat is vacant, the appointing authority must accept the recommendation only if the county executive committee restricted voting to committee members who represent precincts all or part of which were within the territorial area of the district of the county commissioner. (f) The provisions of any local act which provides that a county executive committee of a political party shall fill any vacancy on a board of county commissioners are repealed. (g) Counties subject to this section are not subject to G.S. 153A-27. (h) This section shall apply only in the following counties: Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Avery, Beaufort, Brunswick, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Carteret, Caswell, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Cumberland, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Guilford, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hyde, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Moore, Onslow, Pender, Polk, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Sampson, Stanly, Stokes, Transylvania, and Yancey.  (1981, c. 763, ss. 6, 14; c. 830; 1983, c. 418; 1985, c. 563, s. 7.2; 1987, c. 196, s. 1; 1989, c. 296; c. 497, s. 2; 1991, c. 395, s. 1; c. 558, s. 1; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 683, s. 1; 1997-88, s. 1; 2009-32, s. 1; 2011-126, s. 2; 2014-6, s. 5(a); 2014-92, s. 2(a); 2017-2, s. 2; 2019-5, s. 2(b); 2019-102, s. 1(a); 2025-3, s. 4(a); 2025-13, s. 1(a); 2026-25, s. 1(a).)

G.S. 153A-28 Compensation of board of commissioners.

§ 153A-28.  Compensation of board of commissioners. (a) The board of commissioners may fix the compensation and allowances of the chair and other members of the board by inclusion of the compensation and allowances in and adoption of the budget ordinance. In addition, if the chair or any other member of the board becomes a full-time county official, pursuant to G.S. 153A-81 or 153A-84, the compensation and allowances may be adjusted at any time during that person's service as a full-time official, for the duration of that service. (b) In addition to any other enforcement available, the finance officer of the county shall garnish compensation paid under this section to any chair or other board member to collect any unpaid monies due to the county for county services until such debt is paid in full using the procedure for attachment and garnishment set forth in G.S. 105-368 as if unpaid monies due to the county for county services were delinquent taxes and that finance officer were the tax collector. The provision of G.S. 105-368(a) that limits the amount of compensation that may be garnished to not more than ten percent (10%) for any one pay period shall not apply to this subsection. (Code, s. 709; Rev., s. 2785; 1907, c. 500; C.S., s. 3918; 1969, c. 180, s. 1; 1971, c. 1125, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 2021-191, s. 2(a).)

G.S. 153A-30 Withholding compensation; money judgment against board member.

§ 153A-30.  Withholding compensation; money judgment against board member. In addition to any other enforcement available, the finance officer of a county that obtains a final judgment awarding monetary damages against an elected or appointed member of the board of commissioners, either individually or jointly, may enforce that final judgment using any of the remedies set forth in G.S. 105-366(b) or the procedure for attachment and garnishment set forth in G.S. 105-368 as if final judgment awarding monetary damages were delinquent taxes and that finance officer were the tax collector. The provision of G.S. 105-368(a) that limits the amount of compensation that may be garnished to not more than ten percent (10%) for any one pay period shall not apply to this section. (2014-40, s. 2.)

G.S. 153A-34 Structure of boards of commissioners.

§ 153A-34.  Structure of boards of commissioners. Each county is governed by a board of commissioners. The structure and manner of election of the board of commissioners in each county shall remain as it is on February 1, 1974, until changed in accordance with law. (Rev., s. 1311; C.S., s. 1292; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-39 Selection of chairman and vice-chairman; powers and duties.

§ 153A-39.  Selection of chairman and vice-chairman; powers and duties. On: (1) The first Monday in December of each even-numbered year; and (2) Its first regular meeting in December of each odd-numbered year, the board of commissioners shall choose one of its members as chairman for the ensuing year, unless the chairman is elected as such by the people or otherwise designated by law. The board shall also at that time choose a vice-chairman to act in the absence or disability of the chairman. If the chairman and the vice-chairman are both absent from a meeting of the board, the members present may choose a temporary chairman. The chairman is the presiding officer of the board of commissioners. Unless excused by rule of the board, the presiding officer has the duty to vote on any question before the board, but he has no right to break a tie vote in which he participated. (Code, s. 706; Rev., s. 1317; C.S., s. 1296; 1945, c. 132; 1951, c. 904, s. 1; 1961, c. 154; 1967, c. 617, s. 1; 1969, c. 349, s. 1; c. 1036; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1993, c. 95.)

G.S. 153A-40 Regular and special meetings.

§ 153A-40.  Regular and special meetings. (a) The board of commissioners shall hold a regular meeting at least once a month, and may hold more frequent regular meetings. The board may by resolution fix the time and place of its regular meetings. If such a resolution is adopted, at least 10 days before the first meeting to which the resolution is to apply, the board shall cause a copy of it to be posted on the courthouse bulletin board and a summary of it to be published. If no such resolution is adopted, the board shall meet at the courthouse on the first Monday of each month, or on the next succeeding business day if the first Monday is a holiday. If use of the courthouse or other designated regular meeting place  is made temporarily impossible, inconvenient, or unwise, the board may change the time or place or both of a regular meeting or of all regular meetings within a specified period of time. The board shall cause notice of the temporary change to be posted at or near the regular meeting place and shall take any other action it considers helpful in informing the public of the temporary change. The board may adjourn a regular meeting from day to day or to a day certain until the business before the board is completed. (b) The chairman or a majority of the members of the board may at any time call a special meeting of the board of commissioners by signing a written notice stating the time and place of the meeting and the subjects to be considered. The person or persons calling the meeting shall cause the notice to be delivered to the chairman and each other member of the board or left at the usual dwelling place of each at least 48 hours before the meeting and shall cause a copy of the notice to be posted on the courthouse bulletin board at least 48 hours before the meeting. Only those items of business specified in the notice may be transacted at a special meeting, unless all members are present or those not present have signed a written waiver. If a special meeting is called to deal with an emergency, the notice requirements of this subsection do not apply. However, the person or persons calling such a special meeting shall take reasonable action to inform the other members and the public of the meeting. Only business connected with the emergency may be discussed at a meeting called pursuant to this paragraph. In addition to the procedures set out in this subsection, a person  or persons calling a special or emergency meeting of the board of commissioners shall comply with the notice requirements of Article 33B of General Statutes Chapter 143. (c) The board of commissioners shall hold all its meetings within the county except: (1) In connection with a joint meeting of two or more public bodies; provided, however, that such a meeting shall be held within the boundaries of the political subdivision represented by the members of one of the public bodies participating; (2) In connection with a retreat, forum, or similar gathering held solely for the purpose of providing members of the board with general information relating to the performance of their public duties; provided, however, that members of the board of commissioners shall not vote upon or otherwise transact public business while in attendance at such a gathering; (3) In connection with a meeting between the board of commissioners and its local legislative delegation during a session of the General Assembly; provided, however, that at any such meeting the members of the board of commissioners may not vote upon or otherwise transact public business except with regard to matters directly relating to legislation proposed to or pending before the General Assembly; (4) While in attendance at a convention, association meeting or similar gathering; provided, however, that any such meeting may be held solely to discuss or deliberate the board's position concerning convention resolutions, elections of association officers and similar issues that are not legally  binding upon the board of commissioners or its constituents. All meetings held outside the county shall be deemed "official meetings" within the meaning of G.S. 143-318.10(d). (Code, s. 706; Rev., s. 1317; C.S., s. 1296; 1945, c. 132; 1951, c. 904, s. 1; 1961, c. 154; 1967, c. 617, s. 1; 1969, c. 349, s. 1; c. 1036; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1191, s. 6; 1985, c. 745.)

G.S. 153A-41 Procedures.

§ 153A-41.  Procedures. The board of commissioners may adopt its own rules of procedure, in keeping with the size and nature of the board and in the spirit of generally accepted principles of parliamentary procedure. (Code, s. 706; Rev., s. 1317; C.S., s. 1296; 1945, c. 132; 1951, c. 904, s. 1; 1961, c. 154; 1967, c. 617, s. 1; 1969, c. 349, s. 1; c. 1036; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-42 Minutes to be kept; ayes and noes.

§ 153A-42.  Minutes to be kept; ayes and noes. The clerk shall keep full and accurate minutes of the proceedings of the board of commissioners, which shall be available for public inspection. The clerk shall record the results of each vote in the minutes; and upon the request of any member of the board, the ayes and noes upon any question shall be taken and recorded. (Code, s. 712; 1905, c. 530; Rev., s. 1325; C.S., s. 1310; 1953, c. 973, s. 3; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-43 Quorum.

§ 153A-43.  Quorum. (a) A majority of the membership of the board of commissioners constitutes a quorum. The number required for a quorum is not affected by vacancies. If a member has withdrawn from a meeting without being excused by majority vote of the remaining members present, he shall be counted as present for the purposes of determining whether a quorum is present. The board may compel the attendance of an absent member by ordering the sheriff to take the member into custody. (b) Any member present by means of simultaneous communication in accordance with G.S. 166A-19.24 shall be counted as present for the purposes of whether a quorum is present only during the period while simultaneous communication is maintained for that member. (Code, s. 706; Rev., s. 1317; C.S., s. 1296; 1945, c. 132; 1951, c. 904, s. 1; 1961, c. 154; 1967, c. 617, s. 1; 1969, c. 349, s. 1; c. 1036; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 2020-3, s. 4.31(e).)

G.S. 153A-44 Members excused from voting.

§ 153A-44.  Members excused from voting. The board may excuse a member from voting, but only upon questions involving the member's own financial interest or official conduct or on matters on which the member is prohibited from voting under G.S. 14-234 or G.S. 160D-109. For purposes of this section, the question of the compensation and allowances of members of the board does not involve a member's own financial interest or official conduct. (Code, s. 706; Rev., s. 1317; C.S., s. 1296; 1945, c. 132; 1951, c. 904, s. 1; 1961, c. 154; 1967, c. 617, s. 1; 1969, c. 349, s. 1; c. 1036; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 2001-409, s. 8; 2005-426, s. 5.1(b); 2013-126, s. 6; 2022-62, s. 39.)

G.S. 153A-45 Adoption of ordinances.

§ 153A-45.  Adoption of ordinances. To be adopted at the meeting at which it is first introduced, an ordinance or any action having the effect of an ordinance (except the budget ordinance, any bond order, or any other ordinance on which a public hearing must be held before the ordinance may be adopted) must receive the approval of all the members of the board of commissioners. If the ordinance is approved by a majority of those voting but not by all the members of the board, or if the ordinance is not voted on at that meeting, it shall be considered at the next regular meeting of the board. If it then or at any time thereafter within 100 days of its introduction receives a majority of the votes cast, a quorum being present, the ordinance is adopted. (1963, c. 1060, ss. 1, 1 1/2; 1965, cc. 388, 567, 1083, 1158; 1967, c. 495, s. 2; 1969, c. 36, s. 1; 1971, c. 702, ss. 1-3; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-46 Franchises.

§ 153A-46.  Franchises. No ordinance making a grant, renewal, extension, or amendment of any franchise may be finally adopted until it has been passed at two regular meetings of the board of commissioners. No such grant, renewal, extension, or amendment may be made except by ordinance. (1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-47 Technical ordinances.

§ 153A-47.  Technical ordinances. Subject to G.S. 143-138(e), a county may in an ordinance adopt by reference a published technical code or a standard or regulation promulgated by a public agency. A technical code or standard or regulation so adopted has the force of law in any area of the county in which the ordinance is applicable. An official copy of a technical code or standard or regulation adopted by reference shall be available for public inspection in the office of the clerk and need not be filed in the ordinance book. (1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-48 Ordinance book.

§ 153A-48.  Ordinance book. The clerk shall maintain an ordinance book, separate from the minute book of the board of commissioners. The ordinance book shall be indexed and shall be available for public inspection in the office of the clerk. Except as provided in this section and in G.S. 153A-47, each county ordinance shall be filed and indexed in the ordinance book. The budget ordinance and any amendments thereto, any bond order, and any other ordinance of limited interest or transitory nature may be omitted from the ordinance book. However, the ordinance book shall contain a section showing the caption of each omitted ordinance and the page in the commissioners' minute book at which the ordinance may be found. If a county adopts and issues a code of its ordinances, county ordinances need be recorded and indexed in the ordinance book only until they are placed in the codification. (1963, c. 1060, ss. 1, 1 1/2; 1965, cc. 388, 567, 1083, 1158; 1967, c. 495, s. 2; 1969, c. 36, s. 1; 1971, c. 702, ss. 1-3; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-49 Code of ordinances.

§ 153A-49.  Code of ordinances. A county may adopt and issue a code of its ordinances. The code may be reproduced by any method that gives legible and permanent copies, and may be issued as a securely bound book or books with periodic separately bound supplements, or as a loose-leaf book maintained by replacement pages. Supplements or replacement pages should be adopted and issued at least annually, unless there have been no additions to or modifications of the code during the year. A code may consist of two parts, the "General Ordinances" and the "Technical Ordinances." The technical ordinances may be published as separate books or pamphlets, and may include ordinances regarding the construction of buildings, the installation of plumbing and electric wiring, and the installation of cooling and heating equipment; ordinances regarding the use of public utilities, buildings, or facilities operated by the county; the zoning ordinance; the subdivision control ordinance; and other similar ordinances designated as technical ordinances by the board of commissioners. The board may omit from the code the budget ordinance, any bond orders, and other designated classes of ordinances of limited interest or transitory nature, but the code shall clearly describe the classes of ordinances omitted from it. The board of commissioners may provide that ordinances (i) establishing or amending the boundaries of county zoning areas or (ii) establishing or amending the boundaries of zoning districts shall be codified by appropriate entries upon official map books to be retained permanently in the office of the clerk or some other county office generally accessible to the public. (1973, c. 822, s. 1; 2014-3, s. 12.3(e).)

G.S. 153A-50 Pleading and proving county ordinances.

§ 153A-50.  Pleading and proving county ordinances. County ordinances shall be pleaded and proved under the rules and procedures of G.S. 160A-79. References to G.S. 160A-77 and G.S. 160A-78 appearing in G.S. 160A-79 are deemed, for purposes of this section, to refer to G.S. 153A-49 and G.S. 153A-48, respectively. (1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-52 Conduct of public hearing.

§ 153A-52.  Conduct of public hearing. The board of commissioners may hold public hearings at any place within the county. The board may adopt reasonable rules governing the conduct of public hearings, including but not limited to rules (i) fixing the maximum time allotted to each speaker, (ii) providing for the designation of spokesmen for groups of persons supporting or opposing the same position, (iii) providing for the selection of delegates from groups of persons supporting or opposing the same positions when the number of persons wishing to attend the hearing exceeds the capacity of the hall, and (iv) providing for the maintenance of order and decorum in the conduct of the hearing. The board may continue a public hearing without further advertisement. If a public hearing is set for a given date and a quorum of the board is not then present, the board shall continue the hearing without further advertisement until its next regular meeting. (1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-52.1 Public comment period during regular meetings.

§ 153A-52.1.  Public comment period during regular meetings. The board of commissioners shall provide at least one period for public comment per month at a regular meeting of the board. The board may adopt reasonable rules governing the conduct of the public comment period, including, but not limited to, rules (i) fixing the maximum time allotted to each speaker, (ii) providing for the designation of spokesmen for groups of persons supporting or opposing the same positions, (iii) providing for the selection of delegates from groups of persons supporting or opposing the same positions when the number of persons wishing to attend the hearing exceeds the capacity of the hall, and (iv) providing for the maintenance of order and decorum in the conduct of the hearing. The board is not required to provide a public comment period under this section if no regular meeting is held during the month. (2005-170, s. 2.)

G.S. 153A-53 Ethics.

§ 153A-53.  Ethics. (a) The board of commissioners shall adopt a resolution or policy containing a code of ethics, as required by G.S. 160A-86. (b) All members of the board of commissioners, whether elected or appointed, shall receive the ethics education required by G.S. 160A-87. (2009-403, s. 4.)

G.S. 153A-58 Optional structures.

§ 153A-58.  Optional structures. A county may alter the structure of its board of commissioners by adopting one or any combination of the options prescribed by this section. (1) Number of members of the board of commissioners: The board may  consist of any number of members not less than three, except as limited by subdivision (2)d of this section. (2) Terms of office of members of the board of commissioners: a. Members shall be elected for two-year terms of office. b. Members shall be elected for four-year terms of office. c. Members shall be elected for overlapping four-year terms of office. d. The board shall consist of an odd number of members, who are elected for a combination of four-and two-year terms of office, so that a majority of members is elected each two years. This option may be used only if all members of the board are nominated and elected by the voters of the entire county, and only if the chairman of the board is elected by and from the members of the board. (3) Mode of election of the board of commissioners: a. The qualified voters of the entire county shall nominate all candidates for and elect all members of the board. For options b, c, and d, the county shall be divided into electoral districts, and board members shall be apportioned to the districts so that the quotients obtained by dividing the population of each district by the number of commissioners apportioned to the district are as nearly equal as practicable. b. The qualified voters of each district shall nominate candidates and elect members who reside in the district for seats apportioned to that district; and the qualified voters of the entire county shall nominate candidates and elect members apportioned to the county at large, if any. c. The qualified voters of each district shall nominate candidates who reside in the district for seats apportioned to that district, and the qualified voters of the entire county shall nominate candidates for seats apportioned to the county at large, if any; and the qualified voters of the entire county shall elect all the members of the board. d. Members shall reside in and represent the districts according to the apportionment plan adopted, but the qualified voters of the entire county shall nominate all candidates for and elect all members of the board. If any of options b, c, or d is adopted, the board shall divide the county into the requisite number of electoral districts according to the apportionment plan adopted, and shall cause a delineation of the districts so laid out to be drawn up and filed as required by G.S. 153A-20. No more than  half the board may be apportioned to the county at large. (4) Selection of chairman of the board of commissioners: a. The board shall elect a chairman from among its membership to  serve a one-year term, as provided by G.S. 153A-39. b. The chairmanship shall be a separate office. The qualified voters of the entire county nominate candidates for and elect the chairman for a two-or four-year term. (1927, c. 91, s. 3; 1969, c. 717, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-59 Implementation when board has members serving a combination of four-and two-year terms.

§ 153A-59.  Implementation when board has members serving a combination of four-and two-year terms. If the structure of the board of commissioners is altered to establish a board with an odd number of members serving a combination of four-and two-year terms of office, the new structure shall be implemented as follows: At the first election all members of the board shall be elected. A  simple majority of those elected shall be elected for two-year terms, and the remaining members shall be elected for four-year terms. The candidate or candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected for the four-year terms. At each subsequent general election, a simple majority of the board shall be elected. That candidate who is elected with the least number of votes shall be elected for a two-year term, and the other member or members elected shall be elected for four-year terms. (1927, c. 91, s. 3; 1969, c. 717, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-60 Initiation of alterations by resolution.

§ 153A-60.  Initiation of alterations by resolution. The board of commissioners shall initiate any alteration in the structure of the board by adopting a resolution. The resolution shall: (1) Briefly but completely describe the proposed alterations; (2) Prescribe the manner of transition from the existing structure to the altered structure; (3) Define the electoral districts, if any, and apportion the members among the districts; (4) Call a special referendum on the question of adoption of the alterations. The referendum shall be held and conducted by the county board of elections. The referendum may be held only on a date permitted by G.S. 163-287. Upon its adoption, the resolution shall be published in full. (1927, c. 91, s. 4; 1969, c. 717, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1977, c. 382; 2013-381, s. 10.23; 2017-6, s. 3; 2018-146, ss. 3.1(a), (b), 6.1.)

G.S. 153A-61 Submission of proposition to voters; form of ballot.

§ 153A-61.  Submission of proposition to voters; form of ballot. A proposition to approve an alteration shall be printed on the ballot in substantially the following form: "Shall the structure of the board of commissioners be altered? (Describe the effect of the alteration.) [] YES [] NO" The ballot shall be separate from other ballots used at the election. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition are in the affirmative, the plan contained in the resolution shall be put into effect as provided in this Part. If a majority of the votes cast are in the negative, the resolution and the plan contained therein are void. (1927, c. 91, s. 4; 1969, c. 717, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-62 Effective date of any alteration.

§ 153A-62.  Effective date of any alteration. Any approved alteration shall be the basis for nominating and electing the members of the board of commissioners at the first succeeding primary and general election for county offices held after approval of the alteration; and the alteration takes effect on the first Monday in December following that general election. (1927, c. 91, s. 4; 1969, c. 717, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-63 Filing copy of resolution.

§ 153A-63.  Filing copy of resolution. A copy of a resolution approved pursuant to this Part shall be filed and indexed in the ordinance book required by G.S. 153A-48. (1927, c. 91, s. 4; 1969, c. 717, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

G.S. 153A-64 Filing results of election.

§ 153A-64.  Filing results of election. If the proposition is approved under G.S. 153A-61, a certified true copy of the resolution and a copy of the abstract of the election shall be filed with the Secretary of State and with the Legislative Library. (1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 935, s. 1; 1989, c. 191, s. 1.)
Source: North Carolina General Assembly (ncleg.gov)URL: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByChapter/Chapter_153A.htmlFetched: 10/19/2026

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