AN ACT RELATIVE TO ELECTIONS IN THE TOWN OF SCITUATE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 3-1 of article 3 of the charter of the town of Scituate, which is on file in the office of the archivist of the commonwealth as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out subsections (e) and (f) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(e) Coordination of Officials - Notwithstanding the election by the voters of the officers named in this article, the said officers shall be subject to the call of the board of selectmen or of the town administrator for consultation, conference and discussion of any matter relating to their respective offices.
SECTION 2. Section 3-2 of said article 3 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(a) Composition, Term of Office - There shall be a board of selectmen consisting of five members elected by the voters. The term of office of a selectman shall be for three years. The terms of office of a selectman shall be so arranged that two selectmen shall be elected one year, two selectmen shall be elected the next year and one selectman shall be elected the third year. The election ballots for each year in which more than one selectman is to be elected shall set forth each position to be filled on the board as a separate position which shall be called position one and position two, so that each candidate for selectman shall be listed as a candidate for either position one or position two, but not both. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for each position shall be elected to that position on the board.
SECTION 3. Section 3-4 of said article 3 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(a) Composition, Term of Office - There shall be a school committee consisting of five members elected by the voters. The term of office of school committee members shall be for three years. The term of office of school committee members shall be so arranged that two school committee members shall be elected one year, two school committee members shall be elected the next year, and one school committee member shall be elected the third year. The election ballots for each year in which more than one school committee member is to be elected shall set forth each position to be filled on the committee as a separate position which shall be called position one and position two, so that each candidate for school committee shall be listed as a candidate for either position one or position two, but not both. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for each position shall be elected to that position on the committee.
SECTION 4. Section 3-5 of said article 3 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(a) Composition, Term of Office - There shall be a planning board consisting of five members elected by the voters. The term of office for planning board members shall be for three years. The terms of office of the planning board members shall be so arranged that two planning board members shall be elected one year, two planning board members shall be elected the next year, and one planning board member shall be elected the third year. The election ballots for each year in which more than one planning board member is to be elected shall set forth each position to be filled on the planning board as a separate position which shall be called position one and position two, so that each candidate for planning board shall be listed as a candidate for either position one or position two, but not both. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for each position shall be elected to that position on the board.
SECTION 5. Subsection (a) of section 3-6 of said article 3 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the first sentence, the words "at large".
SECTION 6. Subsection (a) of section 3-7 of said article 3 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the words "at large".
SECTION 7. Subsection (a) of section 3-8 of said article 3 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the words "at large".
SECTION 8. Subsection (a) of section 3-9 of said article 3 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the first sentence, the words "at large".
SECTION 9. Section 7-1 of article 7 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
(a) Nominations - The number of signatures of voters required to place the name of a candidate on the official ballot for use at a town election shall be not less than 100 signatures. Nominating papers shall not contain the name of more than one candidate.
SECTION 10. Subsection (b) of section 7-10 of said article 7 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the first and sixth sentences, the words "in the case of an officer who is elected by the voters at large and of the district in the case of an officer who is elected by the voters of a district".
SECTION 11. Subsection (c) of section 7-10 of said article 7 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the third sentence, the words "in the case of an officer who is elected by the voters at large and of the district in the case of an officer who is elected by the voters of a district".
SECTION 12. Section 8-6 of article 8 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a).
SECTION 13. This act shall not affect the terms of office of incumbent members of the board of selectmen, school committee and planning board on the effective date of this act.
SECTION 14. This act shall take effect upon its passage.