A bill

TO AMEND SECTION 3 OF ACT 596 OF 1969, AS LAST AMENDENDED BY ACT 124 OF 2003, RELATING TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE HILTON HEAD NO. 1 PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT COMMISSION, TO PROVIDE FOR SEVEN APPORTIONED ELECTION DISTRICTS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ELECTION OF CANDIDATES IN 2024 AND 2026.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.    Section 3 of Act 596 of 1969, as last amended by Act 124 of 2003 is amended to read:

SECTION 3.   (A)   The district must be operated, managed, and governed by a commission to be known as "Hilton Head No. 1 Public Service District Commission". The commission shall consist of seven residents of the district who must be qualified electors of the district.

   (B)   The commissioners shall be elected from seven election districts established by the commission and properly apportioned with the assistance of the appropriate state agencies. The commission is authorized to participate in redistricting as necessary to comply with state and federal laws.

   (B)(C)   On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 20032024, four commissioners, one from District Two, one from District Three, and two from District Four, as previously elected pursuant to Act 124 of 2003, shall be considered for election in accordance with the election districts established pursuant to subsection (B). On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026, the three remaining commissioners, one from District One, one from District Two, and one from District Four, as previously elected pursuant to Act 124 of 2003, shall be considered for election in accordance with the elections districts established pursuant to subsection (B). Candidates shall file a statement of intention of candidacy with the county board of elections and registration pursuant to Section 7-13-35 of the S.C. Code, as amended. Commissioners shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of their respective election districts established pursuant to subsection (B). the voters shall elect commissioners for all seats on the district's governing body. Candidates shall file a statement of intention of candidacy with the county board of elections and registration pursuant to Section 7-13-352 of the 1976 Code. Except that for the initial election in 2003, the Beaufort County Election Commission may delay the date for filing the statement of candidacy no later than twelve o'clock noon on September 15, 2003. The four defined election districts from which each member of Hilton Head No. 1 Public Service District Commission must reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district are as shown on the official map designated as 13-HH1PSD-03 prepared by and on file with the Office of Research and Statistical Services of the State Budget and Control Board. The Hilton Head No. 1 Public Service District is divided into four election districts as follows: District One from which one commissioner shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district; District Two from which one commissioner shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district; District Three from which two commissioners shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district; and District Four from which three commissioners shall reside in and be elected by the qualified electors of that district. Except for the initial election of commissioners as provided in this subsection, all commissioners must be elected from and reside in enumerated election districts for terms of four years with terms staggered so that a simple majority of the commissioners are elected in an odd-numbered year every four years, and the remaining commissioners are elected at the same time two years from the election of the first commissioners on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in an odd-numbered year. In order to stagger the terms at the initial election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2003, a commissioner elected from election District One and election District Two, receiving the highest number of votes, is elected for a term of four years and the other commissioner from the other district is elected for a term of two years. The commissioner receiving the highest number of votes in election District Three is elected for a term of four years and the commissioner receiving the next highest number of votes in that election district is elected for a term of two years. The two commissioners receiving the highest number of votes in election District Four are elected for terms of four years each and the commissioner receiving the third highest number of votes is elected for a term of two years. All commissioners elected for initial terms of two years must be elected for terms of four years each at the election conducted on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2005. After that election, all commissionersCommissioners must be elected for terms of four years until their successors are elected and qualify. The terms of office of commissioners whose seats are subject to contest in the election expires fourteen days following the election.

   (C)(D)   The Beaufort County Board of Elections and Registration shall conduct and supervise the elections for commissioners in the manner governed by the election laws of this State, mutatis mutandis. Vacancies must be filled in the manner provided in Section 7-13-190 of the 1976 Code.

   (D)   The commissioners shall receive an annual salary of three hundred dollars and the chairman shall receive five hundred dollars.

SECTION 2.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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