48-3011. Election of directors; term; qualifications; vacancies

A. An election shall be held in the district each year in which the term of office of a director at large expires and in each division of the district in which the term of office of a director from a division expires. The election shall be held on the second Tuesday after the first Monday of November. Not less than ten days before the election ten or more electors in the district may file with the board of directors a petition requesting that the name of the person specified in the petition be placed on the ballot as candidate for the office of director and indicating whether the candidate would represent a division or serve at large. Only the names proposed by the various petitions filed shall be printed on the ballots, but a blank space shall be left in which electors may write other names if they desire. The one director to be elected from a division shall be elected by the general electors of the division of the district in which the election is held. The candidate for director from a division receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected, and, for appropriate districts, the two candidates for director at large receiving the highest numbers of votes shall be elected. A tie vote between two or more persons shall be decided by lot between them under the direction of the chairman of the board of supervisors of the county in which the district is organized.

B. The directors elected or chosen, upon qualifying as provided in this article, shall hold office for three years beginning on January 1 following. Directors representing a division shall be qualified electors of the division of the district from which they are elected, and directors at large must be qualified electors of the district.

C. If a vacancy occurs in the board of directors by death, removal from the district, resignation or inability from any cause to properly discharge the duties of director, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment made by the remaining members of the board of directors or, upon their failure or inability to appoint within thirty days after the vacancy occurs, upon petition of five electors of the district the board of supervisors of the county in which the office of the district is located shall by appointment fill the vacancy or vacancies. A director appointed as provided by this subsection shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term and until his successor is elected at a regular election and qualified.