Chapter 3. General Provisions of California Water Code >> Division 14. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 3.

For all purposes of this division relating to signing petitions and voting at any election, and for all other purposes when the question of title to or value of land claimed to be owned by a petitioner or voter is involved, the most recent county assessment roll in each affected county, or the last final election roll prepared in accordance with Section 41027 if the board elects to follow the procedure provided in Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 41025) of Part 4, shall be sufficient evidence of ownership and value.

If any parcel of land is assessed on any assessment roll to unknown or fictitiously named owners or to unnamed owners in addition to any owners named thereon, the parcel of land shall be deemed for any of the purposes of this division to have but one owner in addition to the owners whose true names may be purported to be given on the assessment roll.

The holder of title to an undivided interest in land affected by any of the provisions of this division may sign any petition or vote at any election provided for in this division, and such undivided interest shall be counted and valued as though it were a separate interest.

If the assessment roll fails to indicate the extent of any undivided interest the holders of title whose undivided interests in any land are not specifically defined shall be deemed to have equal shares.

The certificate of the register of the United States Land Office for the district in which the land is situated, or of the State Lands Commission, is sufficient evidence of possessory right in any land entered under the laws of the United States or of this State.

Guardians, conservators, personal representatives, and other persons holding land in a trust capacity under appointment of court may sign any petition and may vote at any election in behalf of the estate represented by them without obtaining special authority.

A certificate of acknowledgment taken before a notary public or justice of the peace of any state, or an affidavit by any person in the presence of whom a petition was signed, is sufficient evidence of the genuineness of the signature and of the fact of place of residence of any petitioner under this division.

Whenever any notice or publication, or notice of publication, or official advertising, or publication of process is required to be given or made by the provisions of this division, unless otherwise specifically provided, it shall be given or made once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, printed and published in each affected county, and if in any such county there be no such newspaper then in a newspaper printed and published in an adjoining county.

As to any land belonging to a person under guardianship or conservatorship or comprised in the undistributed estate of a decedent, the guardian or conservator of such person or executor or administrator of such estate shall be deemed the holder of title for the purpose of representing the same in all proceedings under this division, and has the right to sign all petitions or protests provided for in this division, and to vote at all district elections, without any order of court authorizing him so to do.

The powers herein conferred upon the department and board are police and regulatory powers and are necessary to the accomplishment of a purpose that is indispensable to the public interest.

The districts formed pursuant to this division are districts of the nature of irrigation, reclamation, or drainage districts in respect to all matters contemplated in the provisions of the Constitution of the State of California relating to irrigation, reclamation, or drainage.