AN ACT to increase the size of the city council in the city of winston‑salem to include an at‑Large seat.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Section 12A of the Charter of the City of Winston‑Salem, being Chapter 232 of the Private Laws of 1927, as amended by Chapter 13 of the 1965 Session Laws, Chapter 53 of the 1965 Session Laws, City Ordinance adopted on January 6, 2003, and S.L. 2011‑141, read as rewritten:

1. Election of Mayor. The time for election of Mayor shall be as provided in Section 12J of this Charter. The mayor Mayor shall be a resident of the City of Winston‑Salem. The Mayor shall be elected by all the qualified voters of the City. Except as provided in Section 12J of this Charter, the Mayor shall serve for a term of four years commencing as provided by G.S. 160A‑68 at the organizational meeting of the city council following the election.

2. Election of City Council. The time for election of city council members shall be as provided in Section 12J of this Charter. There shall be elected eight nine council members for the City of Winston‑Salem, who shall hold their office until their successors are qualified, of whom one shall be elected from North Ward, one from Northeast Ward, one from East Ward, One from Southeast Ward, one from South Ward, one from Southeast Southwest Ward, one from West Ward, and one from Northwest Ward. Ward, and one at‑large member. Each council member representing a ward shall be a resident of the ward in which elected, and shall be elected by the qualified voters of the council member's ward only. Except as provided in Section 12J of this Charter, city The qualified voters of the entire City of Winston‑Salem shall elect the at‑large member. The at‑large member shall be a resident of the City of Winston‑Salem. City council members shall serve for terms of four years commencing as provided by G.S. 160A‑68 at the organizational meeting of the city council following the election.

SECTION 2.  Section 12J of the Charter of the City of Winston‑Salem, being Chapter 232 of the Private Laws of 1927, as amended by S.L. 2011‑141, reads as rewritten:

Sec. 12J. Method and Time of Election; Terms.Election.

(a)        In 2013, the primary and election for mayor and council members shall be held on the dates provided in G.S. 163-279(a)(2).

(b)        The terms of the mayor and council members of the City of Winston-Salem elected in 2013 expire at the organizational meeting after the 2016 regular municipal election.

(c)        Notwithstanding G.S. 163-279, in 2016 and quadrennially thereafter, primaries and elections Regular municipal elections shall be held in the City of Winston‑Salem in even‑numbered years. Elections for mayor and city council shall be conducted on a partisan basis. The primary and election shall be held at the same time as and conducted in accordance with the general law governing elections for county officers as provided in G.S. 163-1.officers.

SECTION 3.  Section 12B of the Charter of the City of Winston‑Salem, being Chapter 232 of the Private Laws of 1927, as amended by Chapter 13 of the 1965 Session Laws, Chapter 53 of the 1965 Session Laws, City Ordinance adopted on January 6, 2003, and S.L. 2011‑141, is repealed.

SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to elections held on or after that date.