Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 71

FORMERLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 273

AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT BEING CHAPTER 42, VOLUME 53, LAWS OF DELAWARE, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "AN ACT AMENDING, REVISING AND CONSOLIDATING THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF SEAFORD" RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS FOR VOTERS AND TO PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS FROM TAXATION FOR THE ELDERLY.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Delaware [two-thirds of all members elected to each House thereof concurring therein]:

Section 1. Amend Section 7 (c) of Chapter 42, Volume 53, Laws of Delaware, by striking paragraph (c) in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:

"(c) At such Annual Election, every person, male or female who shall have attained the age for voting as established by the State of Delaware for voting in a General Election and who shall be a bona tide resident of The City of Seaford as of the day of final registration next preceding the Annual Election and each non-resident natural person of the City of Seaford who shall have obtained the age for voting established by the State of Delaware for voting in a General Election and who shall have been a free-holder of property in the City of Seaford for a period of six (6) months immediately preceding the date of the Annual Election shall have one (1) vote provided he or she is registered on the "Books of Registered Voters" of The City of Seaford. The City Council of The City of Seaford shall provide two registers to be known as the "Books of Registered Voters" which are to be kept at the Office of the City Manager. The Books of Registered Voters shall contain the following information for each registrant: the name of the registered voter arranged inalphabetical order, the permanent address of the voter, the date the registrant became a resident of The City of Seaford, the date the registrant became a freeholder of The City of Seaford, the birthdate of the voter, and any other pertinent information. No person shall be registered upon the Books of Registered Voters unless such person will have acquired the qualifications to vote in the Annual Election for the year in which such person registers. A person shall be required to register only one time; provided, however, that the name of a registered voter shall be removed from the, Books of Registered Voters by the City Manager upon the death of the registered voter, removal from the City of a registered voter, or loss of any other qualification to vote as prescribed herein, and notice sent to said registered voter at his last known address by certified mail with return receipt requested advising such registered voter that his name has been removed from the Books of Registered Voters and that it will be necessary to register again in order to be eligible to vote in the Annual Election. The Books of Registered Voters shall be maintained in the Office of the City Manager and shall be conclusive evidence of the right of any person to vote in the Annual Election. A person may register at the Office of the City Manager during the regular business hours of such Office until the close of business of such Office on the Third Friday in the month of February by completing such forms as may be required by the City. For all purposes of this Charter, a freeholder shall be deemed to include any natural person who holds fee simple title to real property in his own name or who holds title to an undivided interest in real property, or who holds title to real estate as a joint tenant or as a tenant by the entirety."

Section 2. Amend Section 32 of Chapter 42, Volume 53, Laws of Delaware, as amended, by adding at the end of the first paragraph of said Section 32 the following:

"The City Council shall have the power and authority to adopt an ordinance or resolution, together with such rules and regulations as are necessary and to prescribe such forms as are required to order to provide an exemption from property taxes to residences of elderly persons and to prescribe the conditions of such exemption."

Approved May 22, 1975.