Bill Text: GA HB1184 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Moreland, Town of; change terms and dates of election of mayor and alderman

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-04-11 - Effective Date [HB1184 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB1184-Introduced.html

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12 LC 21 1738/AP

House Bill 1184 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)

By: Representative Horne of the 71st

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend an Act creating a new charter for the Town of Moreland, approved March 28, 1985 (Ga. L. 1985, p. 5053), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 30, 1993 (Ga. L. 1993, p. 4213), so as to change the terms and dates of election of the mayor and aldermen; to provide for a referendum; to provide for the submission of this Act for preclearance under Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended; to provide for related matters; to provide effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

An Act creating a new charter for the Town of Moreland, approved March 28, 1985 (Ga. L. 1985, p. 5053), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 30, 1993 (Ga. L. 1993, p. 4213), is amended by revising subsection (a) of Section 2.02 as follows:

"(a) For purposes of electing the aldermen, the Town of Moreland shall have four numbered posts, each of which shall encompass the entire Town of Moreland. Persons seeking office as alderman shall designate the post which he or she is seeking at the time of qualification.

(b) Beginning with the calendar year 2013, and quadrennially thereafter, an election shall be conducted on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November to elect the mayor and the aldermen representing Posts 1 and 2. Beginning with the calendar year 2015, and quadrennially thereafter, an election shall be conducted on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November to elect the aldermen representing Posts 3 and 4. The mayor and two aldermen elected in November, 2010, shall serve until December 31, 2013, and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The two aldermen elected in November, 2011, shall serve until December 31, 2015, and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Thereafter, successors shall be elected at the municipal general election held immediately prior to the expiration of their terms and shall serve terms of four years and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. At the first regular meeting of the mayor and aldermen in each year, they shall elect one of their number to serve as mayor pro tempore."

SECTION 2.

This Act is enacted pursuant to the authority provided for in Code Section 1-3-11 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

SECTION 3.

Unless prohibited by the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, the election superintendent of the Town of Moreland shall call and conduct an election as provided in this section for the purpose of submitting this Act to the electors of the Town of Moreland for approval or rejection. The election superintendent shall conduct that election at the time of the general primary in 2012 , and shall issue the call and conduct that election as provided by general law. The election superintendent shall cause the date and purpose of the election to be published once a week for two weeks immediately preceding the date thereof in the official organ of Coweta County. The ballot shall have written or printed thereon the words:

"(  )  YES (  )  NO

Shall the Act be approved which provides for four-year staggered terms of office for the mayor and aldermen of the Town of Moreland and to lengthen the terms of office for the mayor and two aldermen elected in November, 2010, from two to three years and to lengthen the terms of the two aldermen elected in November, 2011, from two to four years?"

All persons desiring to vote for approval of the Act shall vote "Yes," and those persons desiring to vote for rejection of the Act shall vote "No." If more than one-half of the votes cast on such question are for approval of the Act, Section 1 of this Act shall become of full force and effect immediately. If the Act is not so approved or if the election is not conducted as provided in this section, Section 1 of this Act shall not become effective and this Act shall be automatically repealed on the first day of January immediately following that election date. The expense of such election shall be borne by the Town of Moreland. It shall be the election superintendent's duty to certify the result thereof to the Secretary of State.