North Carolina 2025 Session Status: Passed House 4 R cosponsors

HB 271 — Cabarrus County Local Omnibus.

Last action — Regular Message Sent To Senate

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the House. Introduced March 03, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Advancing 54% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed House

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    1 primary, 3 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (4 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

75 added · 138 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to House Bill 271 change the way elections are conducted in certain North Carolina municipalities. The new version mandates that council members in these areas will be elected on a nonpartisan basis, while town officers will continue to be elected using a partisan method. This matters because it aims to reduce political bias in local council elections, allowing voters to make choices based on candidates’ qualifications rather than party affiliation.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 2 HOUSE BILL 271 Committee Substitute Favorable 5/13/25 Short Title:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 271 Short Title:
Cabarrus Co Local Omnibus.
Partisan Elections/Muni./Cabarrus Co.
Representatives Echevarria, Campbell, and Almond (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
March 5, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REQUIRE A REFERENDUM IN EACH MUNICIPALITY WHOLLY LOCATED WITHIN CABARRUS COUNTY ON WHETHER TO CHANGE THE METHOD OF ELECTION FROM NONPARTISAN TO PARTISAN;
Election Law, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House March 5, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS FOR MUNICIPALITIES IN CABARRUS COUNTY SHALL BE CONDUCTED ON A PARTISAN BASIS AND TO PROVIDE THAT ONLY VOTERS RESIDING IN THE DISTRICT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTS SHALL VOTE FOR THAT MEMBER IN THE CITY OF CONCORD.
AND TO MODIFY THE PROCESS FOR FILLING VACANCIES ON THE CABARRUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
SECTION 1.(a) Section 2.3 of the Charter of the City of Concord, being Section 1 of Chapter 861 of the 1985 Session Laws, as amended by City Ordinance No.
SECTION 1.(a) Section 3.1 of the Charter of the City of Concord, being Chapter 861 of the 1985 Session Laws, as amended by Ordinance No.
96-105, adopted on November 14, 1996, reads as rewritten:
1995-02-09, adopted February 9, 1995, and Ordinance No.
96-105, adopted November 14, 1996, reads as rewritten:
2.3.
City Council;
composition;
terms of office.
The City Council shall be composed of seven members, each of whom shall be elected by and from the qualified voters of the city for staggered terms of four years each in the manner provided byArticle III of this Charter, provided they shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified." SECTION 1.(b) Section 3.1 of the Charter of the City of Concord, being Section 1 of Chapter 861 of the 1985 Session Laws, as amended by Ordinance No.
1995-02-09, adopted on February 9, 1995, and Ordinance No.
96-105, adopted on November 14, 1996, reads as rewritten:
"Sec.
160A-101, the Charter of the City of Concord, as set forth in Chapter 861 of the 1985 Session Laws of North Carolina, as amended, is hereby further amended to implement nonpartisan pluralityfor elections (G.S.
160A-101, the Charter of the City of Concord, as set forth in Chapter 861 of the 1985 Session Laws of North Carolina, as amended, is hereby further amended to implement nonpartisan plurality for elections (G.S.
163-292) of the City Council.Regular municipal elections in the City of Concord shall be held in the odd-numbered years and shall be conducted in accordance with the uniform municipal election laws of North Carolina.
163-292) of the City Board of Aldermen [city council].Beginning in 2025, regular municipal elections shall be held in the city every odd-numbered year and shall be conducted in accordance with the uniform municipal election laws of North Carolina.
The Mayor and the City Council shall be elected on a partisan basis, as provided in G.S.
The Mayor and the City Council shall be elected according to the partisan election method, as provided in G.S.
163-291." SECTION 1.(c) This section shall not affect the filling of a vacancy that occurs for the cityofficers of the City of Concord for a seat elected prior to the effective date of this section.
163-291.
SECTION 1.(d) The question of changing the method of election shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the City of Concord at the municipal general election to be held on November 3, 2025, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time.
In 2025, and quadrennially thereafter, the Mayor and three council members, who shall represent Districts 3, 4, and 5, shall be nominated and elected for four-year terms.
The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:
In 2027, and quadrennially thereafter, four council members, who shall represent Districts 1, 2, 6, and 7, shall be nominated and elected for four-year terms." SECTION 1.(b) Section 3.2 of the Charter of the City of Concord, being Chapter 861 of the 1985 Session Laws, as amended by Ordinance No.
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST Changing the method of election for the city officers of the City of Concord from nonpartisan to partisan to officially disclose political affiliation of partisan candidates on the ballot." *H271-v-2* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 SECTION 1.(e) The Cabarrus County Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum conducted under subsection (d) of this section.
96-105, adopted November 14, 1996, and Ordinance No.
If the certification from the Cabarrus County Board of Elections reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the referendum set out in subsection (d) of this section, subsections (a) through (c) of this section become effective at the first regular meeting of the Concord City Council in December 2027, and elections in 2027 and thereafter shall be conducted accordingly.
02-11, adopted April 11, 2002, reads as rewritten:
SECTION 2.(a) Section 4.1 of the Charter of the Town of Harrisburg, being Section 4 of Chapter 111 of the 1973 Session Laws, as amended by Town Ordinance adopted on July13, 2015, reads as rewritten:
3.2.
Election of the Mayor and City Council.
(a) The Mayor shall be nominated and elected by all the voters of the city voting at large.
(b) The City Council shall consist of seven members serving staggered four-year terms and each member shall reside in and represent a district of the city but shall be nominated and elected by all the voters of the city voting at large.city.
Only the qualified voters residing in that district may vote for the member from that district." SECTION 2.
Section 4.1 of the Charter of the Town of Harrisburg, being Chapter 111 of the 1973 Session Laws, as amended by Town Ordinance adopted on July 13, 2015, reads as rewritten:
"Sec.
Regular municipal elections shall be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each in odd-numbered year, beginning in 1973.
Regular municipal elections shall be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each odd-numbered year, beginning in 1973.
Council members hall be elected on a nonpartisan basis and the results determined by plurality, as approved in the North Carolina General Statutes.years.
*H271-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Council members hall be elected on a nonpartisan basis and the results determined by plurality, as approved in the North Carolina General Statutes.Town officers shall be elected according to the partisan election method, as provided in G.S.
Town officers shall be elected on a partisan basis, as provided in G.S.
163-291." SECTION 3.
163-291." SECTION 2.(b) This section shall not affect the filling of a vacancy that occurs for the town officers of the Town of Harrisburg for a seat elected prior to the effective date of this section.
Section 4-1 of the Charter of the City of Kannapolis, as adopted by the Kannapolis Charter Commission on December 11, 1984, pursuant to Chapter 191 of the 1983 Session Laws, reads as rewritten:
SECTION 2.(c) The question of changing the method of election shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the Town of Harrisburg at the municipal general election to be held on November 3, 2025, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time.
"Sec.
The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:
4-1.
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST Changingthe method ofelectionfor thetownofficers of theTownof Harrisburgfrom nonpartisan to partisan to officially disclose political affiliation of partisan candidates on the ballot." SECTION 2.(d) The Cabarrus County Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum conducted under subsection (c) of this section.
Conduct of city elections.
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If the certification from the Cabarrus County Board of Elections reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the referendum set out in subsection (c) of this section, subsections (a) and (b) of this section become effective at the first regular meeting of the Harrisburg Town Council in December 2027, and elections in 2027 and thereafter shall be conducted accordingly.
City officers shall be elected on a non-partisan basis and the results determined by plurality, as provided in the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 163, Section 292.partisan basis, as provided in G.S.
SECTION 3.(a) Section 4.1 of the Charter of the Town of Midland, being Section 1 of S.L.
163-291." SECTION4.
2000-91, reads as rewritten:
Section 4.1oftheCharterofthe TownofMidland,beingS.L.2000-91, reads as rewritten:
163-291." SECTION 3.(b) This section shall not affect the filling of a vacancy that occurs for the town officers of the Town of Midland for a seat elected prior to the effective date of this section.
163-291." SECTION 5.
SECTION 3.(c) The question of changing the method of election shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the Town of Midland at the municipal general election to be held on November 3, 2025, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time.
Section C-3.2 of the Charter of the Town of Mount Pleasant, being Chapter 77 of the Private Laws of 1883, as amended by Town Ordinance adopted on February 11, 2019, reads as rewritten:
The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:
"Section C-3.2.
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST Changing the method of election for the town officers of the Town of Midland from nonpartisan to partisan to officially disclose political affiliation of partisan candidates on the ballot." SECTION 3.(d) The Cabarrus County Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum conducted under subsection (c) of this section.
If the certification from the Cabarrus County Board of Elections reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in Page 2 House Bill 271-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 favor of the referendum set out in subsection (c) of this section, subsections (a) and (b) of this section become effective at the first regular meeting of the Midland Town Council in December 2027, and elections in 2027 and thereafter shall be conducted accordingly.
SECTION 4.(a) Section 3.2 of the Charter of the Town of Mount Pleasant, being Chapter 77 of the Private Laws of 1883, as amended by Town Ordinance adopted on February 11, 2019, reads as rewritten:
"Section 3.2.
Term of Office ThequalifiedvotersoftheentireTownshall electtheMayorandmembersoftheTownBoard of Commissioners that shall serve staggered four (4) year terms.
Term of Office The qualified voters of the entire Town shall elect the Mayor and members of the Town Board of Commissioners that shall serve staggered four (4) year terms.
Nonpartisan plurality Regular municipal elections shall take place every two years, be held in odd-numbered years, with three commissioners being elected during one election cycle, and two commissioners and the Mayor during the next election cycle, and so on.
Nonpartisan plurality elections Elections shall take place every two years, in odd-numbered years, with three commissioners being elected during one election cycle, and two commissioners and the Mayor during the next election cycle, and so on.
Town officers shall be elected according to the partisan election method, as provided in G.S.
163-291.
Thepresent Mayor,Commissioners andotherofficersofMount Pleasant shallholdsaidofficeswithallthepowers,privileges,rightsandresponsibilitieswhichthischarter and the former charter conferred until their successors are elected or appointed and qualified.years and shall be conducted in accordance with the uniform municipal election laws of North Carolina.
The present Mayor, Commissioners and other officers of Mount Pleasant shall hold said offices with all the powers, privileges, rights and responsibilities which this charter and the former charter conferred until their successors are elected or appointed and qualified." SECTION 6.
The Town officers shall be elected on a partisan basis, as provided in G.S.
This act shall have the effect of repealing any conflicting provisions of local or special acts or conflicting local ordinances relating to the nonpartisan municipal elections for any municipalities covered by this act.
163-291." SECTION 4.(b) This section shall not affect the filling of a vacancy that occurs for the town officers of the Town of Mount Pleasant for a seat elected prior to the effective date of this section.
This act shall not affect the filling of a vacancy in a municipal election that occurs for a seat elected prior to the effective date of this act.
SECTION 4.(c) The question of changing the method of election shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the Town of Mount Pleasant at the municipal general election to be held on November 3, 2025, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time.
SECTION 7.
The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:
Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law and applies to elections held in 2025 and thereafter.
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST Changing the method of election for the town officers of the Town of Mount Pleasant from nonpartisan to partisan to officially disclose political affiliation of partisan candidates on the ballot." SECTION 4.(d) The Cabarrus County Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum conducted under subsection (c) of this section.
Page 2 House Bill 271-First Edition
If the certification from the Cabarrus County Board of Elections reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the referendum set out in subsection (c) of this section, subsections (a) and (b) of this section become effective at the first regular meeting of the Mount Pleasant Town Council in December 2027, and elections in 2027 and thereafter shall be conducted accordingly.
SECTION 5.(a) G.S.
153A-27.1(h), as amended by S.L.
2025-3, reads as rewritten:
"(h) This section shall apply only in the following counties:
Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Avery, Beaufort, Brunswick, Buncombe, Caldwell, Carteret, Cabarrus, Caswell, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Cumberland, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Guilford, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hyde, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Moore, Onslow, Pender, Polk, Randolph, Rockingham, Rutherford, Sampson, Stanly, Stokes, Transylvania, and Yancey." SECTION 5.(b) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies to vacancies filled on or after that date.
SECTION 6.
Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law and applies to elections held on or after that date.
House Bill 271-Second Edition Page 3
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Action History

  1. Regular Message Sent To Senate

  2. Regular Message Received From House

  3. Passed 1st Reading

  4. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  5. Withdrawn From Cal

  6. Added to Calendar

  7. Passed 2nd Reading

  8. Passed 3rd Reading

  9. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  10. Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  11. Reptd Fav

  12. Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)

  13. Placed On Cal For 05/14/2025

  14. Withdrawn From Cal

  15. Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)

  16. Withdrawn From Com

  17. Re-ref to the Com on Election Law, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  18. Withdrawn From Com

  19. Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  20. Passed 1st Reading

  21. Ref to the Com on Election Law, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  22. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 175 not signed on · 41 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (175)

175 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 175 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Second Reading

Passed 66 Yea · 42 Nay · 12 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 23804
Unaffiliated 2202
Republican 62006
U 0200
Total 6642012
% of votes cast 55%35%0%10%
How each member voted (120)
Member Party Vote
CharlesSmith — Yea
Reeder — Yea
vonHaefen — Nay
Campbell — Not Voting
C. Smith — Not Voting
F. Jackson — Nay
Abe Jones Democratic Nay
Aisha O. Dew Democratic Not Voting
Allen Buansi Democratic Nay
Allison A. Dahle Democratic Yea
Amber M. Baker Democratic Nay
Amos L. Quick, III Democratic Not Voting
B. Ray Jeffers Democratic Nay
Becky Carney Democratic Nay
Beth Helfrich Democratic Nay
Brandon Lofton Democratic Nay
Brian Turner Democratic Nay
Bryan Cohn Democratic Nay
Carolyn G. Logan Democratic Nay
Cecil Brockman Democratic Nay
Cynthia Ball Democratic Nay
Dante Pittman Democratic Nay
Deb Butler Democratic Nay
Eric Ager Democratic Nay
Garland E. Pierce Democratic Not Voting
Gloristine Brown Democratic Nay
James Roberson Democratic Nay
Jordan Lopez Democratic Nay
Julia Greenfield Democratic Nay
Kanika Brown Democratic Nay
Laura Budd Democratic Not Voting
Lindsey Prather Democratic Nay
Marcia Morey Democratic Nay
Maria Cervania Democratic Nay
Mary Belk Democratic Nay
Mike Colvin Democratic Nay
Monika Johnson-Hostler Democratic Nay
Phil Rubin Democratic Nay
Pricey Harrison Democratic Nay
Renée A. Price Democratic Nay
Robert T. Reives, II Democratic Nay
Rodney D. Pierce Democratic Nay
Sarah Crawford Democratic Nay
Shelly Willingham Democratic Yea
Terry M. Brown Jr. Democratic Nay
Tim Longest Democratic Nay
Tracy Clark Democratic Nay
Vernetta Alston Democratic Nay
Ya Liu Democratic Nay
Zack Hawkins Democratic Nay
A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. Republican Yea
Allen Chesser Republican Yea
Ben T. Moss, Jr. Republican Yea
Bill Ward Republican Yea
Blair Eddins Republican Yea
Brenden H. Jones Republican Yea
Brian Biggs Republican Yea
Brian Echevarria Republican Yea
Celeste C. Cairns Republican Yea
Charles W. Miller Republican Yea
Chris Humphrey Republican Yea
Cody Huneycutt Republican Yea
David Willis Republican Yea
Dean Arp Republican Yea
Dennis Riddell Republican Yea
Destin Hall Republican Yea
Diane Wheatley Republican Yea
Donna McDowell White Republican Yea
Donnie Loftis Republican Yea
Donny Lambeth Republican Yea
Dudley Greene Republican Yea
Edward C. Goodwin Republican Yea
Erin Paré Republican Yea
Frank Iler Republican Yea
Harry Warren Republican Yea
Heather H. Rhyne Republican Yea
Howard Penny, Jr. Republican Yea
Hugh Blackwell Republican Yea
Jarrod Lowery Republican Yea
Jay Adams Republican Yea
Jeff Zenger Republican Yea
Jeffrey C. McNeely Republican Yea
Jennifer Balkcom Republican Yea
Jerry "Alan" Branson Republican Yea
Jimmy Dixon Republican Yea
John A. Torbett Republican Yea
John M. Blust Republican Yea
John R. Bell, IV Republican Not Voting
John Sauls Republican Not Voting
Jonathan L. Almond Republican Yea
Joseph Pike Republican Yea
Julia C. Howard Republican Yea
Karl E. Gillespie Republican Yea
Keith Kidwell Republican Yea
Kelly E. Hastings Republican Yea
Kyle Hall Republican Yea
Larry C. Strickland Republican Yea
Larry W. Potts Republican Yea
Mark Brody Republican Yea
Mark Pless Republican Yea
Matthew Winslow Republican Not Voting
Mike Clampitt Republican Yea
Mike Schietzelt Republican Yea
Mitchell S. Setzer Republican Yea
Neal Jackson Republican Yea
Paul Scott Republican Yea
Phil Shepard Republican Yea
Ray Pickett Republican Yea
Sam Watford Republican Not Voting
Sarah Stevens Republican Yea
Stephen M. Ross Republican Yea
Steve Tyson Republican Not Voting
Ted Davis, Jr. Republican Yea
Todd Carver Republican Yea
Todd Johnson Republican Yea
Tricia Ann Cotham Republican Not Voting
William D. Brisson Republican Yea
Wyatt Gable Republican Yea
Carla D. Cunningham U Nay
Nasif Majeed U Nay

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Subjects

elections
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 271?
HB 271 is sponsored by Dennis Riddell (Republican), Jay Adams (Republican), Jonathan L. Almond (Republican), and Brian Echevarria (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 271?
This bill has passed the House. Introduced March 03, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track HB 271?
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