§ 3. Election and term of commission members.

The county shall be divided into four districts numbered one through four as set forth in the description of districts attached to this Act and made a part hereof and further identified as `Operator: local Client: paulding Plan: pauld97b.' The commissioners shall have been residents of the districts which they seek to represent for the 12 months immediately preceding the date on which they qualify for office and shall continue to reside in such districts during their term of office. Notwithstanding any provision of this Act to the contrary, commissioners in office on the effective date of this Act shall continue to serve out the terms of office to which they were elected and until their successors are elected and qualified. The chairperson and commissioners shall be elected for terms of four years and until their successors are elected and qualified. The commissioner serving on the effective date of this Act whose term expires in 2000 shall continue to hold office until the term for which he or she was elected shall expire, and his or her successor shall be elected and qualified and shall be designated as the commissioner from Post 1 representing District 1. The commissioners from Posts 2, 3, and 4 representing Districts 2, 3, and 4 shall be elected to four-year terms at the general election in 1998 and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. The chairperson and the commissioner from Post 1 shall be elected to four-year terms in 2000 and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. Thereafter, all successors shall be elected at the general election immediately preceding the expiration of terms of office and shall take office on the first day of January immediately following their election for terms of four years and until their successors are elected and qualified.

(2001 Ga. Laws, page 4145, § 1)