1. (A) There is created the Dorchester County Board of Elections and Registration. There are seven members of the board who must be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of a majority of the Dorchester County Legislative Delegation for terms of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualify except of those first appointed, three must be appointed for initial terms of two years each, the initial terms of all members to be designated by the appointing authority.
2. (B) A vacancy on the board must be filled by appointment in the manner of original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.
3. (C) Members of the board and its staff receive compensation as may be appropriated by the governing body of Dorchester County upon the recommendation of the county legislative delegation.
4. (D) One of the seven members of the board shall serve as its chairman, and the member to serve as chairman must be designated by the county legislative delegation.
5. (E) A member who misses three consecutive meetings of the board is considered to have resigned his office and a vacancy on the board exists which must be filled in the manner provided in subsection (B).
6. (F) For purposes of this section, a majority of the Dorchester County Legislative Delegation means a majority of the members of the House of Representatives and a majority of the members of the Senate representing Dorchester County.

7. (G)

   1. (1) The Dorchester County Election Commission and the Dorchester County Registration Board are abolished on the effective date of this section and the powers and duties of the Commissioners of Election and Registration Board are devolved upon the Dorchester County Board of Elections and Registration created by subsection (A).
   2. (2) The current members of the Dorchester County Election Commission and the Dorchester County Registration Board shall act as the governing body of the new Dorchester County Board of Elections and Registration established in this section until such time as the seven members of this board appointed in the manner provided by this section take office. At this time, the terms of these former commissioners of election and registration board members expire.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 312, Section 1, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on June 12, 2008).