84-18. Terms, election and appointment of councilors.

(a) Except as set out in this section, the terms of councilors are fixed at three years commencing on the first day of January in the year following their election. A year shall be the calendar year. No councilor may serve more than three successive three-year terms but a councilor may serve an unlimited number of three successive three-year terms provided a three-year period of nonservice intervenes in each instance. Any councilor serving a partial term of 18 months or more is considered to have served a full term and shall be eligible to be elected to only two successive three-year terms in addition to the partial term. Any councilor serving a partial term of less than 18 months is eligible to be elected to three successive three-year terms in addition to the partial term. This paragraph shall not apply to officers of the State Bar.

The secretary of a judicial district bar shall notify the secretary-treasurer of the State Bar in writing of any additions to or deletions from the delegation of councilors representing the district within 90 days of the effective date of the change. No new councilor shall assume a seat until official notice of the election has been given to the secretary-treasurer of the State Bar.

Any active member of the North Carolina State Bar is eligible to serve as a councilor from the judicial district in which the member is eligible to vote.

(b) The Council may promulgate rules to govern the election and appointment of councilors. The election and appointment of councilors shall be as follows:

Each judicial district bar shall elect one eligible North Carolina State Bar member for each Council vacancy in the district. Any vacancy occurring after the election, whether caused by resignation, death, reconfiguration of the district by the General Assembly, or otherwise shall be filled by the judicial district bar in which the vacancy occurs. The appointment shall be for the unexpired portion of the term and shall be certified to the Council by the judicial district bar. Any appointed councilor shall be subject to the terms set forth in subsection (a) of G.S. 84-18.

(c) Public members shall serve three-year terms. No public member shall serve more than two complete consecutive terms. The Secretary of the North Carolina State Bar shall promptly inform the Governor when any seat occupied by a public member becomes vacant. The successor shall serve the remainder of the term. Any public member serving a partial term of 18 months or more is considered to have served a full term and is eligible to be elected to only one additional three-year term in addition to the partial term. Any public member serving a partial term of less than 18 months is eligible to be elected to two successive three-year terms in addition to the partial term.