138A-7. Membership.

(a) The Commission shall consist of eight members. Four members shall be appointed by the Governor, of whom no more than two shall be of the same political party. Four members shall be appointed by the General Assembly, two upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, neither of whom shall be of the same political party, and two upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, neither of whom shall be of the same political party. Members shall serve for four-year terms, beginning January 1, 2019, except for the initial terms that shall be as follows:

(1) Two members appointed by the Governor shall serve an initial term of one year.

(2) Two members appointed by the General Assembly, one upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, shall serve initial terms of two years.

(3) Two members appointed by the Governor shall serve initial terms of three years.

(4) Two members appointed by the General Assembly, one upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one member upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, shall serve initial terms of four years.

(b) Members shall be removed from the Commission only for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance. Members appointed by the Governor may be removed by the Governor. Members appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be removed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Speaker. Members appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall be removed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(c) Vacancies in appointments made by the Governor shall be filled by the Governor for the remainder of any unfulfilled term. Vacancies in appointments made by the General Assembly shall be filled in accordance with G.S. 120-122 for the remainder of any unfulfilled term.

(d) No member while serving on the Commission or employee while employed by the Commission shall:

(1) Hold or be a candidate for any other office or place of trust or profit under the United States, the State, or a political subdivision of the State.

(2) Hold office in any political party above the precinct level.

(3) Participate in or contribute to the political campaign of any covered person or any candidate for a public office as a covered person over which the Commission would have jurisdiction or authority.

(4) Otherwise be an employee of the State, a community college, or a local school administrative unit, or serve as a member of any other State board.

(e) No individual is eligible to serve on the Commission who, within the 48 months prior to appointment, has held any of the following positions with an organization that has engaged in electioneering in those 48 months:

(1) Director, officer, or governing board member.

(2) Employee.

(3) Lobbyist registered under Chapter 120C of the General Statutes.

(4) Independent contractor.

(5) Legal counsel of record.

(f) The Governor shall annually appoint a member of the Commission to serve as chair of the Commission. The Commission shall elect a vice-chair annually from its membership. The vice-chair shall act as the chair in the chair's absence or if there is a vacancy in that position.

(g) Members of the Commission shall receive no compensation for service on the Commission but shall be reimbursed for subsistence, travel, and convention registration fees as provided under G.S. 138-5 or G.S. 138-7, as applicable.

(h) No individual may serve more than two consecutive four-year terms.