RALEIGH --The State House gave final approval yesterday to appoint Timothy Futrelle of Watauga County and Virginia Tillett of Dare County as county commissioners, even though they had been previously elected.

The two were chosen to serve on the Electoral College and voted for Barack Obama and Joe Biden in December. But some worried that they were no longer commissioners because state law prohibits a person from serving in two elected offices at once in most cases.

The bill ensures that Tillett and Futrelle are still commissioners and that their actions as commissioners since the college vote are valid.