HB 2198

Abstract

Local elections for governing bodies; elections for school boards; qualification of voters. Provides that in a locality that imposes district-based or ward-based residency requirements for members of the governing body or school board, the member elected from each district or ward is to be elected by the qualified voters of that district or ward and not by the locality at large. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2022.

Local elections for governing bodies; qualificationof voters. Clarifies that, notwithstanding any other provisionof law, general or special, in a locality that elects its governingbody at large from the locality, any qualified voter of the localityshall be entitled to vote for the at-large candidates, and in a localitythat elects its governing body from districts or wards, only thequalified voters of a district or ward shall be entitled to votefor the candidates of that district or ward. In a locality that electsits governing body from any combination of at-large and districtsor wards, any qualified voter of the locality shall be entitled tovote for the at-large candidates and only the qualified voters ofa district or ward shall be entitled to vote for the candidates ofthat district or ward.