PRINTER'S NO. 1993
No. 1610 Session of 1975
INTRODUCED BY SCHWEDER, COLE, McCALL, SHUMAN AND LAUGHLIN,
JULY 15, 1975
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, JULY 16, 1975
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania authorizing qualified electors to vote for
3 three persons for county commissioners.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby resolves as follows:
6 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
7 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with
8 the provisions of the eleventh article thereof:
9 That section four of article nine of the Constitution of the
10 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania be amended to read:
11 Section 4. County Government.--(a) County officers shall
12 consist of commissioners, controllers or auditors, district
13 attorneys, public defenders, treasurers, sheriffs, registers of
14 wills, recorders of deeds, prothonotaries, clerks of the courts,
15 and such others as may from time to time be provided by law.
16 (b) County officers, except for public defenders who shall
17 be appointed as shall be provided by law, shall be elected at
18 the municipal elections and shall hold their offices for the
1 term of four years, beginning on the first Monday of January
2 next after their election, and until their successors shall be
3 duly qualified; all vacancies shall be filled in such a manner
4 as may be provided by law.
5 (c) County officers shall be paid only by salary as provided
6 by law for services performed for the county or any other
7 governmental unit. Fees incidental to the conduct of any county
8 office shall be payable directly to the county or the
9 Commonwealth, or as otherwise provided by law.
10 (d) Three county commissioners shall be elected in each
11 county. In the election of these officers each qualified elector
12 shall vote for no more than [two] three persons, and the three
13 persons receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected.
14 (e) Provisions for county government in this section shall
15 apply to every county except a county which has adopted a home
16 rule charter or an optional form of government. One of the
17 optional forms of county government provided by law shall
18 include the provisions of this section.
19 Section 2. This proposed amendment shall be submitted by the
20 Secretary of the Commonwealth to the qualified electors of this
21 Commonwealth, at the primary election next held after the
22 advertising requirements of article eleven, section one of the
23 Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have been
24 satisfied.
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