12 LC 35
2460
House
Bill 804
By:
Representatives Heard of the
114th,
McKillip of the
115th,
and Williams of the
113th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To
provide for a nonbinding, advisory referendum by the electors of Clarke County
for the purpose of ascertaining whether the General Assembly should enact local
legislation to change county commission election districts from the current
eight member districts and two semi-at-large districts to a new election
district plan with nine equally sized districts that match the districts of the
Clarke County Board of Education; to provide for procedures and requirements
relating thereto; to provide for a referendum and effective dates; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
It
is the purpose of this Act to provide for a nonbinding, advisory referendum for
the purpose of ascertaining whether the citizens of the Clarke County desire the
General Assembly to enact local legislation to change county commission election
districts from the current eight member districts and two semi-at-large
districts to a new election district plan with nine equally sized districts that
match the districts of the Clarke County Board of Education. The advisory
referendum provided for in this Act is:
(1)
In all respects for the benefit of the people of Clarke County;
(2)
A public purpose; and
(3)
An essential governmental function for which public funds may be
expended.
SECTION
2.
Unless
prohibited by the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, the county
election superintendent of Clarke County shall call and conduct a nonbinding,
advisory referendum election as provided in this section for the purpose of
submitting a question to the electors of Clarke County to determine whether a
majority of said electors desire the General Assembly to enact local legislation
to change county commission elections from the current eight member districts
that the commission member must live and two at-large, county-wide districts to
nine equally sized, territory districts that matches the districts of the Clarke
County Board of Education that the commission member must live and no at-large,
county-wide districts. The county election superintendent shall conduct that
election on the day of the presidential preference election in March, 2012, and
shall issue the call and conduct that election as provided by general law. The
county 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 Clarke County. The ballot shall have written or
printed thereon the words:
( ) YES
( ) NO
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"NONBINDING
ADVISORY REFERENDUM
Should
the election of county commissioners be changed from the current system, which
includes two 'semi-at-large super districts,' to a new election district plan
with nine equally sized districts that match the districts of the Clarke County
Board of Education?"
|
All
persons desiring to vote for approval of the question shall vote "Yes," and all
persons desiring to vote for rejection of the question shall vote "No." The
expense of such election shall be borne by Clarke County. It shall be the
election superintendent's duty to certify the result thereof to the Secretary of
State and to each member of the General Assembly whose senatorial or
representative district lies wholly on partially within Clarke
County.
SECTION
3.
Except
as otherwise provided in Section 2 of this Act, this Act shall become effective
upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such
approval.
SECTION
4.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.