Bill 3639

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3639
Ratification Number:       342
Act Number:                615
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   To provide for the election of members of the 
                           Union County Board of School Trustees in 
                           nonpartisan elections

(A615, R342, H3639)

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE UNION COUNTY BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES MUST BE ELECTED IN NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE TERMS OF OFFICE OF THE MEMBERS SO ELECTED, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH THE NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS MUST BE CONDUCTED.

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

Election of board of trustees

SECTION 1. The thirteen members of the Union County Board of School Trustees must be elected in nonpartisan elections to be held in the manner hereinafter provided. Successors to the six members of the board whose terms expire in 1984 must be elected in nonpartisan elections to be conducted at the same time as the general election in 1984 and at the same time as the general election every four years thereafter for terms of office of four years each. Successors to the seven members of the board whose terms expire in 1986 must be elected in nonpartisan elections to be conducted at the same time as the general election in 1986 and at the same time as the general election every four years thereafter for terms of office of four years each. All members of the board shall serve until their successors are elected and qualify. Any vacancy occurring for any reason other than expiration of a term must be filled by appointment of the Governor upon the recommendation of a majority of the members of the Union County Legislative Delegation until the next scheduled election at which time a successor must be elected for the remainder of the unexpired term or for a full term as the case may be.

The members of the board shall continue to be elected from those voting precincts or attendance areas specified by law and must be a qualified elector and resident of the voting precinct or attendance area from which elected. All persons desiring to qualify as a candidate and be elected to the board shall file written notice of candidacy with the county election commission at least sixty days before the date set for the election but not earlier than ninety days prior to the election. This notice of candidacy must be a sworn statement and shall include the candidate's name, age, voting precinct, period of residence in the voting precinct or attendance area, and such other information as the county election commission requires.

The county commissioners of election shall conduct and supervise the elections for members of the board in the manner governed by the election laws of this State, mutatis mutandi. The commissioners shall prepare the necessary ballots, appoint managers for the voting precincts, and do all things necessary to carry out the elections, including the counting of ballots and declaring the results thereof. The commissioners shall advertise the date of the election ninety days preceding the election in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county and shall publish a second notice thirty days before the election. The costs of the election shall be borne by the school district.

The results of the election must De determined in accordance with the nonpartisan plurality method prescribed by Section 1 of Act 81 of 1977 and designated as Section 5-15- ,1 the 1976 Code in the Cumulative Supplement.

The members of the board elected in such nonpartisan elections shall take office on the fourth Monday following their election. The current members of the board shall continue to serve in office until their present terms expire at which time the members elected in the manner specified herein shall take office.

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.