The Commission shall not exceed twenty-seven members and shall be so constituted that (1) one third of the members of the Commission are public officials, or their representatives, unless the number of such officials reasonably available or willing to serve is less than one third of the membership of the Commission; (2) at least one third of the members are persons chosen in accordance with democratic selection procedures adequate to assure that they are representative of the poor in the area served; and (3) the remainder of the members are officials or members of business, industry, labor, religious, welfare, education, or other major groups and interests in the counties. Each member of the Commission selected to represent a specific geographic area within the counties must reside in the area he represents and at least ten qualified electors of each county shall be members of the commission.

All members shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of a majority of the members of the legislative delegations from Berkeley and Dorchester Counties, including the Senators representing the districts of which these counties are a part. The members shall serve without compensation but shall be allowed the usual per diem, mileage and subsistence as provided by law for members of boards, commissions and committees.

Any petition containing two hundred signatures of persons who feel that they are inadequately represented on the Commission shall require a prompt and fair hearing by the Commission. Upon receipt of such a petition, a description of the action taken to insure a prompt and fair hearing to the petitioners, and a statement of any action taken as a result of such a petition shall be promptly recorded in the records of the Commission.