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Bill Summary · SB 1077

Summary: SB 1077 (Session 2025) – City of New Bern Even-Year Elections

Purpose

To change the timing and manner of regular municipal elections for the City of New Bern, aligning them with even-year cycles and adjusting the schedule for vacancies, with effect beginning in 2030.

Key Provisions

  • Election Timing Change (Section 1)

    • Regular municipal elections in New Bern would be held every four years in even-numbered years (i.e., not in 2029, but in 2030, 2034, etc.).
    • Elections are to be conducted under general state laws governing municipal elections.
    • Mayor and Board of Aldermen would continue to be elected using the nonpartisan election methods and runoff plurality rules specified in North Carolina General Statutes (G.S. 163-293 and G.S. 163-292).
    • If a vacancy occurs on the Board of Aldermen:
    • A special election shall be held if the vacancy is not filled within 90 days of the vacancy beginning.
    • The process for filling the vacancy follows the City Charter and G.S. 163-287.
    • The final date for an appointment to fill the vacancy (by the Board of Aldermen) is 12:00 noon local time on the first day of candidate filing for the next available election, provided the first filing day is at least 90 days from the vacancy start.
    • If the Board does not appoint by that deadline, the vacancy is filled by the candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the special election.
    • A separate special election is not required if its date would coincide with the regular municipal election.

  • Interim Election Pause (Section 2)

    • No municipal elections shall be conducted in New Bern in 2029.
    • Terms of office for the mayor and all aldermen expiring in 2029 shall be extended by one year.
    • Regular municipal elections shall resume in 2030 and occur every four years thereafter.

  • Effective Date (Section 3)

    • The act becomes law upon passage and applies to elections held on or after January 1, 2030.

Who/What is Affected

  • City of New Bern elected officials:
    • Mayor and Board of Aldermen elected on a four-year cycle in even-numbered years starting in 2030.
  • City processes for vacancies:
    • Procedures for filling vacancies on the Board of Aldermen—whether by appointment or special election—are aligned with the revised election calendar.
  • Electorate and voters:
    • Voters will participate in municipal elections every four years aligned with even-numbered years starting 2030.

Procedural/Timeline Highlights

  • No 2029 municipal elections; 2029 terms extended by one year.
  • New election schedule begins with 2030 elections (and every four years thereafter).
  • Vacancy handling remains governed by City Charter and state law, with specific alignment to the new election cycle.
  • The bill specifies conditions under which a special election would be held for vacancies, including timing relative to candidate filing and the possibility that the special election date coincides with a regular election (in which case a separate election may not be needed).

Notes

  • The bill is local in nature and targets the City of New Bern.
  • It reflects a shift to even-year election cycles while maintaining existing nonpartisan/runoff voting rules.
  • If the bill becomes law, downstream electoral calendars, candidate filing periods, and appointment timelines would be adjusted accordingly beginning with elections in 2030.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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