HB 1197

Bill Subjects

Cities And Towns; Generally County Government Elections; Conducting Elections (Excluding Recounts) Elections; Generally Elections; Political Parties Elections; Vacancies Local Elected Officials; County Clerk Resolutions; General Assembly; Generally

Abstract

Limits precinct committeeman appointments. Provides that in order for a precinct committeeman or a precinct vice committeeman (exercising the precinct committeeman's proxy) to participate in a caucus to fill a vacancy, the committeeman or vice committeeman must be entitled to vote for the office for which a successor is to be selected in the caucus. Requires particular candidates for selection for an appointment pro tempore to an office to: (1) comply with qualification requirements imposed on candidates for election to the office; and (2) if the individual is a candidate for selection by a caucus, be affiliated with the political party holding the caucus. Allows an individual or entity with authority to select a candidate for an appointment pro tempore to remove a candidate from consideration if the candidate does not meet these requirements. Specifies additional grounds on which certain county officers or a township executive may be charged and deprived of office following a hearing. Provides that if an accused party does not appear before the court, the court may proceed to hear and determine the accusation in the accused party's absence. Includes a member of the county executive, if the county does not contain a consolidated city, in a provision concerning the initiation of an action for removal of a county officer. Exempts a member of the county executive from a requirement concerning physical presence in the county officer's office. Provides that a city-county legislative body may declare the seat of a member vacant by a two-thirds vote if the member fails to perform the duties of the member's office.