If the U.S. Justice Department gives its approval within the next two months the people of Union County will head to the polls Feb. 23 to vote on changing the county’s form of government.

Union County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the third and final reading of an ordinance authorizing a referendum on whether or not to retain the current council-supervisor form of government or replace it with a council-administrator system. Council met in special session Friday and set Feb. 23 as the date for the referendum, provided the county receives pre-clearance from the Justice Department by Feb. 15.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires any change in system of government in South Carolina first be approved or pre-cleared by the Justice Department. Supervisor Tommy Sinclair said under the law the Justice Department can take up to 60 days to grant pre-clearance or ask for another 60 days to consider the change before issuing a decision. Sinclair said because the possibility exists pre-clearance might not be granted by Feb. 23, it was felt a date should be set where. if it has not been granted, the referendum could be canceled. He said council decided to set the deadline for proceeding with the referendum at 5 p.m. Feb. 15. If pre-clearance is not received by that time the referendum would be canceled and rescheduled once the Justice Department gives the go ahead.

Sinclair said the deadline is designed to help the county avoid any unnecessary expense should the referendum be delayed. He said canceling it in the event pre-clearance is not given by Feb. 15 could save the county up to $40,000.

Under the council-supervisor system, council is composed of six council members elected from single-member districts and a supervisor elected at-large. Under a council-administrator system, there would still be a six-member council elected from single-member districts with a council chairman elected at-large. An administrator hired by council would oversee the day-to-day operations of county government now handled by the supervisor.

The change was proposed by councilman Joey English who said changing the system would bring greater professionalism into the administration of county government. English pointed out currently there are no requirements a candidate must meet to become supervisor beyond winning an election. With the council-administrator system, however, English said council will be able to set up standards for hiring a professional, trained administrator.

Union County is one of a few counties in South Carolina to still have the supervisor form of government.

Though a previous referendum to change the system of government to council-administrator was defeated in 2002, English said he thinks due to recent circumstances the people of Union County might favor the change. The circumstances English referred to revolve around the indictment of supervisor Donnie Betenbaugh on a wide range of federal drug and corruption charges. Betenbaugh was suspended from office by Gov. Mark Sanford who appointed Sinclair to serve out his unexpired term.

The trial of Betenbaugh and four other individuals — among them former sheriff Howard Wells and former tax assessor Willie Randall Jr. — is scheduled to begin Feb. 3.