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a -, <br />SUMMARY. REPORT <br />ON ROTATION OF OFFICERS FOR BOARDS OF COUNTY <br />COMMISSIONERS IN NORTH CAROLINA <br />Inquiries made to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and <br />the Institute of Government have yielded. information indicating that very few boards of <br />county commissioners in North Carolina follow any type of alternative rotation selection <br />schedule or process for the designation of board officers.: An overwhelming majority. <br />(over 90%) follow the process of election of chair and vice-chair on an annual basis by <br />the members of the board. <br />Far those few counties that do incorporate some type of alternative process for <br />officers differing from the annual "election-by-the-members standard", the following <br />information is presented. <br />BUNCOMBE COUNTY -.During the filing period and as part of the actual election, <br />& SWAIN COUNTY candidates can file and declare themselves either as i) <br />candidates for chair of the board or 2) as general candidates <br />for the board. If a candidate for chair has the highest vote <br />total among those persons filing and running for chair, then <br />that individual serves as chair for four years. (Note; All <br />commissioners, including the chair, serve concurrent four- <br />vear terms.) If an individual has filed as a candidate for <br />chain and finishes with the second highest vote total among <br />the candidates. for chair, then that individual fails to win <br />seat on the board regardless of whether or not he or she may <br />happen to have received more votes than any other <br />candidates for the board. Regarding the general candidates <br />for the board, the individuals with the highest vote totals win <br />seats based on the number of total seats on the board. No <br />vice chair is ever elected or chosen by any process. <br />YANCEY COUNTY - Same as Buncombe and Swain counties except that chair and <br />commissioners serve two-year concurrent terms. No vice <br />chair is ever elected or chosen by any process. <br />JACKSON COUNTY - Same as Buncombe and Swain counties except that the Chair <br />also serves as a full-time officer of the county (This <br />individual serves as the County Manager, for lack of a better <br />title. Jackson County is the only county in the state which. <br />does not "officially" have a County Manager.) No vice chair <br />is ever elected or chosenby any process. <br />The process for electing the Chair as noted .above is authorized in NC G.S. 153A-58. <br />