Bill
SB 810
The bill shifts all regular municipal elections in eight Catawba County towns to even-numbered years, with transitional term extensions and resumed even-year elections starting in
SB 810 (Session 2025) – Even-Year Municipal Elections/Catawba Co. (Local)
Overview
- Purpose: To require that regular municipal elections in all municipalities within Catawba County be held in even-numbered years. The bill outlines specific timing adjustments for six named municipalities (Brookford, Catawba, Claremont, Conover, Hickory, Long View, Maiden, Newton) and provides a uniform transition plan to resume even-year elections, with corresponding term extensions where needed.
Key Provisions and Changes
- Local Focus: Applies to municipalities in Catawba County and includes detailed charter amendments for each listed town/city.
- Brookford (Section 1)
- Shifts regular municipal elections to even-numbered years.
- Elections to be nonpartisan and governed by G.S. 163-292 and Chapter 163 (uniform municipal election laws).
- 2027: No municipal elections; terms expiring in 2027 extended by one year; terms expiring in 2029 extended by one year.
- Regular elections resume in 2028 with the prior term staggering.
- Catawba (Section 2)
- No municipal elections in 2027.
- 2027 term extensions as above; resume even-year elections in 2028 with same staggering.
- Claremont (Section 3)
- Elections to be held in even-numbered years; mayor and five council members serve four-year staggered terms; nonpartisan plurality; governed by Chapter 163.
- 2027: No elections; 2027 terms extended by one year; 2029 terms extended by one year; resume even-year elections in 2028 with original staggering.
- Conover (Section 4)
- Regular municipal elections in even-numbered years; nonpartisan plurality; terms: mayor four years; council members four years with staggered terms (per historical charter language).
- 2027: No elections; 2027 terms extended by one year; 2029 terms extended by one year; resume even-year elections in 2028 with same staggering.
- Hickory (Section 5)
- Regular municipal elections in even-numbered years; nonpartisan plurality; mayor and six aldermen/council members with ward-based nomination and at-large election structure; consistent with charter.
- 2027: No elections; 2027 terms extended by one year; 2029 terms extended by one year; resume even-year elections in 2028 with same staggering.
- Long View (Section 6)
- Regular municipal elections in even-numbered years; nonpartisan plurality; four-year staggered terms for mayor and six aldermen.
- 2027: No elections; extend 2027 terms by one year; extend 2029 terms by one year; resume even-year elections in 2028 with same staggering.
- Maiden (Section 7)
- Elections to be held in even/odd pattern is organized by existing language; mayor four-year terms; council terms vary by historical provisions but ultimately align with four-year staggered terms and nonpartisan plurality.
- 2027: No elections; extend 2027 terms by one year; extend 2029 terms by one year; resume even-year elections in 2028 with same staggering.
- Newton (Section 8)
- Elections in even-numbered years; nonpartisan plurality; six-member council and mayor; term structure follows four-year staggered terms.
- 2027: No elections; extend 2027 terms by one year; extend 2029 terms by one year; resume even-year elections in 2028 with same staggering.
- Effective Date (Section 9)
- Act becomes law upon signing and applies to elections held on or after that date.
Who Would Be Affected
- The described municipalities within Catawba County: Brookford, Catawba, Claremont, Conover, Hickory, Long View, Maiden, and Newton.
- Voters in these municipalities would participate in even-year municipal elections.
- Elected officials in these municipalities (mayors and council/aldermen) would experience adjusted term start years and temporary term extensions to align with the new schedule.
Procedural/Timeline Aspects
- Immediate applicability to elections held on or after the act’s effective date.
- 2027 elections suspended for the affected municipalities; current terms expiring in 2027 and 2029 receive one-year extensions to align with the transition.
- Regular municipal elections resume in 2028 (or 2028 onward) in even-numbered years, maintaining existing term lengths and staggering patterns.
- The bill specifies that elections remain nonpartisan and conducted under the uniform municipal election laws (Chapter 163 of the General Statutes) and G.S. 163-292 for vote determination.
Notes
- The bill is labeled as local (municipal) jurisdiction within North Carolina and is sponsored by Senator Hollo. The text includes substantial retrofits to multiple town charters, all converging on the shift to even-year municipal elections for the specified communities. The language preserves existing nonpartisan, plurality-based election mechanics and term structures, with transitional extensions to bridge from prior odd-year cycles.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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