Chapter 9. Method Of Election For The Santa Margarita Water District of California Water Code >> Division 13. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 9.

This chapter shall apply only to the Santa Margarita Water District. For purposes of this chapter, "district" means the Santa Margarita Water District.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, or the bylaws of the district, all elections within the district, including elections for director and elections that are required by law to authorize any special taxes or bonded indebtedness, shall be conducted as resident voter elections in accordance with this chapter. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require resident voter approval of bonds where voter approval is not required under the statutory or constitutional provisions in effect prior to January 1, 1994.

Qualified voters within the district shall be residents of, and registered voters in, the district.

All directors elected after January 1, 1994, shall be residents of the district and shall be registered at the time of their election and during their term of office.

Directors of the district shall be elected on an at-large basis unless the board of directors determines that directors shall be elected by divisions. The term "by divisions" as used in this chapter means the election of directors by voters of the division alone.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the board of directors may at any time establish divisions within the district in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. If the board of directors decides to establish divisions, all of the following shall apply:
  (a) The board of directors shall, by resolution, divide the district into as many divisions as there are directors and assign a number to each division. Divisions shall be as nearly equal in population as practicable.
  (b) After approving the election of directors by divisions, the board of directors shall, by resolution, not less than 120 days prior to the next general district election, designate which divisions shall elect directors at that election to succeed the directors whose terms then expire. The remaining divisions shall elect directors at the general district election next following that election.
  (c) Each director elected by division shall be a resident of that division.
  (d) The board of directors may, by resolution, at any time after initially dividing the district into divisions, but not less than 120 days before a general district election, change the boundaries of the divisions to keep them as nearly equal in population as practicable.

(a) At the first general district election following January 1, 1996, all directors shall be elected. The terms of office of those directors who are in office on January 1, 1996, shall be shortened and shall expire upon the election and qualification of their successors at that first general district election described in this subdivision. In that first district election and in all subsequent elections, except as specified in subdivision (b), the form of the ballot and the conduct of the election shall be governed by the Uniform District Election Law (Part 4 (commencing with Section 10500) of Division 10 of the Elections Code) for resident voting elections.
  (b) Notwithstanding Section 1304 of the Elections Code, the general district election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year to choose a successor for each director whose term of office will expire on the following first Friday in December, and shall be consolidated with the statewide general election in accordance with Part 3 (commencing with Section 10400) of Division 10 of the Elections Code.
  (c) Those directors whose four-year terms of office would, prior to the amendment of this section during the 1995-96 session of the Legislature, have expired on the first Friday in December of 1995 shall, instead, continue in their offices until not later than the fourth Tuesday after the day of the general district election held in 1996 pursuant to this section.
  (d) Immediately following the general district election described in subdivision (a), the directors so elected at that election shall determine by lot as to those two directors who shall serve two-year terms and as to the three directors who shall serve four-year terms. Except as provided in this subdivision, all directors shall serve four-year terms.

This chapter does not in any way invalidate any act of the district, its directors, or its officers and employees made or performed while the district was operating as a landowner voting district.

This chapter does not affect any acts or proceedings heretofore taken for the authorization, issuance, or sale of any bonds of the district in any manner provided by law prior to January 1, 1994, or affect the ability of the district to sell and issue any bond heretofore authorized. For the purposes of this chapter, "bonds" includes notes and any other evidences of indebtedness.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the board of directors may at any time alter, repeal, or amend the district's bylaws by a majority vote. Any alteration, repeal, or amendment to the bylaws shall be recorded with the county recorder of each affected county.