Article 2.5. Central Contra Costa Sanitary District of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 6. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 2.5.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this article shall apply only to the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District.

(a) In the case of an elected district board, the directors may be elected by divisions if a majority of the voters voting upon the question are in favor of the question at a general district or special election. Conversely, in the case of a district that has an elected district board which is elected by election division, the directors may be elected at large if a majority of the voters voting upon the question are in favor of the question at a general district or special election.
  (b) As used in this section, "election by division" means the election of each member of the district board by voters of only the respective election division.
  (c) The district board may adopt a resolution placing the question on the ballot. Alternatively, upon receipt of a petition signed by at least 5 percent of the registered voters of the district, the district board shall adopt a resolution placing the question on the ballot.
  (d) If the question is submitted to the voters at a general district election, the notice required by Section 12112 of the Elections Code shall contain a statement of the question to appear on the ballot. If the question is submitted to the voters at a special election, the notice of election and ballot shall contain a statement of the question.
  (e) If the majority of voters voting upon the question approves the election of directors by divisions, the district board shall promptly adopt a resolution dividing the district into as many divisions as there are directors. The resolution shall assign a number to each division. Using the last decennial census as a basis, the divisions shall be as nearly equal in population as possible. In establishing the boundaries of the divisions the district board may give consideration to the following factors: (1) topography, (2) geography, (3) cohesiveness, contiguity, integrity, and compactness of territory, and (4) community of interests of the divisions.
  (f) If the majority of voters voting upon the question approves the election of directors by division, the board members shall be elected by election divisions and each member elected shall be a resident of the election division from which he or she is elected. At the district general election following the approval by the voters of the election of directors by divisions, the district board shall assign vacancies on the board created by the expiration of terms to the respective election divisions and the vacancies shall be filled from those election divisions.
  (g) If the majority of voters voting upon the question approves the election of directors at large, the district board shall promptly adopt a resolution dissolving the election divisions which had existed.

In the case of a district board elected by election divisions, the district board shall adjust the boundaries of the election divisions before November 1 of the year following the year in which each decennial federal census is taken. If at any time between each decennial federal census a change of organization alters the population of the district or the district increases or decreases the number of members of the district board, the district board shall reexamine the boundaries of its election divisions. If the district board finds that the population of any election division has varied so that the divisions no longer meet the criteria specified in subdivision (c) of Section 6591, the district board shall adjust the boundaries of the election divisions so that the divisions shall be as nearly equal in population as possible. The district board shall make this change within 60 days of the effective date of the change of organization or an increase or decrease in the number of members of the district board.

(a) Before circulating any petition pursuant to Section 6591, the chief petitioners shall publish a notice of intention which shall include a written statement not to exceed 500 words in length, setting forth the reasons for the proposal. The notice shall be published pursuant to Section 6061 of the Government Code in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the district. If the district is located in more than one county, publication of the notice shall be made in at least one newspaper of general circulation in each of the counties.
  (b) The notice shall be signed by at least one, but not more than three, chief petitioners and shall be in substantially the following form:

"Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition

Notice is hereby given of the intention to circulate a petition affecting the Board of Directors of the ______ (name of the district). The petition proposes that ______ (description of the proposal)."

(c) Within five days after the date of publication, the chief petitioners shall file with the secretary of the district board a copy of the notice together with an affidavit made by a representative of the newspaper in which the notice was published certifying to the fact of publication.
  (d) After the filing required pursuant to subdivision (c), the petition may be circulated for signatures.

(a) Sections 100 and 104 of the Elections Code shall govern the signing of the petition and the format of the petition.
  (b) A petition may consist of a single instrument or separate counterparts. The chief petitioner or petitioners shall file the petition, together with all counterparts, with the secretary of the district board. The secretary shall not accept a petition for filing unless the signatures have been secured within six months of the date on which the first signature was obtained and the chief petitioner or petitioners submitted the petition to the secretary for filing within 60 days after the last signature was obtained.

(a) Within 30 days after the date of filing a petition, the secretary of the district board shall cause the petition to be examined and shall prepare a certificate of sufficiency indicating whether the petition is signed by the requisite number of signers.
  (b) The secretary shall cause the names of the signers on the petition to be compared with the voters' register in the office of the county clerk or registrar of voters and ascertain (1) the number of registered voters in the district, and (2) the number of qualified signers appearing upon the petition.
  (c) If the certificate of the secretary shows the petition to be insufficient, the secretary shall immediately give notice by certified mail of the insufficiency to the chief petitioners. That mailed notice shall state in what amount the petition is insufficient. Within 15 days after the date of the notice of insufficiency, the chief petitioners may file with the secretary a supplemental petition bearing additional signatures.
  (d) Within 10 days after the date of filing a supplemental petition, the secretary shall examine the supplemental petition and certify in writing the results of his or her examination.
  (e) The secretary shall sign and date a certificate of sufficiency. That certificate shall also state the minimum signature requirements for a sufficient petition and show the results of the secretary's examination. The secretary shall mail a copy of the certificate of sufficiency to the chief petitioners.
  (f) Once the chief petitioners have filed a sufficient petition, the district board shall take the actions required pursuant to Section 6591.