House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.
Staggers the four-year terms of the nine members of the Gaston County Board of Education (Board) (previously, just provided for four-year terms). Removes provisions specifying that the predecessor’s term expires at the same time as their successor takes office. Removes changes to Board ballot provisions pertaining to notice of candidate filing deadlines and ballot content set forth in Section 7 of SL 1977-633. Instead of amending Section 4, pertaining to ballot and notice of candidacy and residence requirements, repeals that section.
Removes proposed change to Section 7 of SL 1977-633 requiring vacancies in a residency district to be filled by a person residing in the same district in which the vacating member was elected to serve. Instead enacts that requirement as a freestanding change applicable to Board members in residency districts elected in 2024. Also requires that any vacancy for a member elected in 2024 will be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the Board to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. Removes provisions specifying that the act does not affect the term of Board members elected in 2022.
Makes technical and organizational changes.
Removes the December 1, 2026, effective date for the changes to GS 115C-37.1. Makes the act effective the first Monday in December of 2026 (was, when the act became law) and requires elections in 2026 to be conducted accordingly.
Bill Summaries: H105 (2025-2026 Session)
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Bill H 105 (2025-2026)Summary date: Mar 4 2025 - View summary
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Bill H 105 (2025-2026)Summary date: Feb 11 2025 - View summary
Amends SL 1977-633 (election of members to the Gaston County Board of Education) as follows. Changes the method of election so that seven members of the Gaston County Board of Education are elected from residency districts (was, townships) where they reside and changes the election for all nine members from nonpartisan elections to partisan elections. Notwithstanding GS 115C-37 (providing for nonpartisan biennial elections of county board members), requires board members to be elected at the time of the general election in each even-numbered year as terms expire for four-year terms. Directs that all candidates be voted on by all eligible voters of the county. Removes outdated language. Requires candidates to file a notice of candidacy at a time consistent with deadlines for other county officers (currently, notice of candidacy can be filed any time after noon on the Friday preceding the eighteenth Saturday and before noon on the Friday preceding the fourteenth Saturday before the general election). Sets the election to be held at the time of the general election in each even-numbered year as terms expire. Specifies that candidates for election to the board of education will be nominated at the same time and manner as other county officers. Requires vacancies to be filled using the process set forth in GS 115C-37.1, with the appointee residing in the same district in which the vacating member was elected to serve (currently, vacancies are filled by the remaining members of the Board of Education or by the county commissioners if the Board of Education has not chosen a replacement within 90 days after the vacancy occurs). Makes organizational, technical, and conforming changes. Makes language gender neutral. Effective December 1, 2026.
Specifies that the act does not affect the term of any person elected in 2022 or 2024 to the Board of Education and that each member of the Board of Education elected in 2022 or 2024, or any member appointed to fill a vacancy for a member elected in 2022 or 2024, will serve until a successor has been elected and qualified.
Makes conforming change to GS 115C-37.1 to reflect its applicability to Gaston County. Applies to elections held on or after December 1, 2026.