When one member of the governing board of a school district or community college district is to be elected, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected. When two or more members are to be elected, the two or more candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected. Each voter may vote for as many candidates as there are members to be elected. The ballot shall contain instructions stating the maximum number of candidates for whom each voter may vote.
Part 5SCHOOL DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD ELECTIONS
Section § 10600
This section explains how elections work for school and community college district boards. If one board member is to be elected, the candidate with the most votes wins. If more than one member is up for election, the candidates with the most votes fill the open positions. Voters can cast their votes for as many candidates as there are positions to be filled, and the ballot will tell voters how many candidates they can vote for.
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Section § 10601
This law allows community college districts to assign numbers to board seats by drawing numbers randomly (a process known as 'lot'). Candidates running for these board seats must campaign for a specific, numbered position, and the entire district's voters will choose who fills each numbered seat.
Notwithstanding Section 10600, the governing board of any community college district may, by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of the board, assign a number to each seat on the board to be selected by lot. Once the numbers are assigned, any candidate for election to the board shall be required to run for a particular numbered seat on the board and be elected by the voters of the district at large.
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Section § 10602
This law outlines the format and content required for a declaration of candidacy form for individuals running for positions on a governing board in California. It specifies that candidates must declare themselves as such, confirm they are registered voters, and agree to serve if elected. The form requires candidates to provide their name, the district they are running for, and their residence address. Additionally, in certain elections where additional board members are elected, candidates must specify whether they are running for existing or new positions.
(a)CA Elections Code § 10602(a) The forms for declaration of candidacy for governing board elections shall be in substantially the following form:
“I, _____, do hereby declare myself as a candidate for election to the governing board of _____ District, of the County of ____; I am a registered voter; if elected I will qualify and serve to the best of my ability; and I request my name be placed on the official ballots of the district, for the election to be held on the ___ day of ____, 20__.
Residence address: ”
(b)CA Elections Code § 10602(b) In an election held under Section 5018 of the Education Code to elect additional governing board members, all candidates for member of the governing board shall also indicate on their declaration of candidacy whether they are candidates for the existing office or for the new offices.
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Section § 10603
This law outlines the rules for candidates wanting to run in school district or community college district governing board elections. To get on the ballot, candidates need to submit their candidacy declaration between 88 and 113 days before the election. Once a candidate files their declaration, they cannot withdraw after the 88th day before the election.
Candidates cannot file for more than one district office in the same election, with an exception for candidates on ballots that include a proposal to form a unified school district. In such cases, candidates can run for both an existing board and the proposed unified board.
(a)CA Elections Code § 10603(a) In any school district or community college district governing board election the name of any person shall be placed on the ballot, subject to Sections 35107 and 72103 of the Education Code, if there is filed with the county elections official having jurisdiction, not more than 113 days nor less than 88 days prior to the election, a declaration of candidacy containing the appropriate information in the blank spaces and signed by the person whose name is thereby to be placed on the ballot.
(b)CA Elections Code § 10603(b) No candidate whose declaration of candidacy has been filed for any school district or community college district governing board election or county board of education election may withdraw as a candidate after the 88th day prior to the election.
(c)CA Elections Code § 10603(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided in subdivision (d), no person shall file nomination papers for more than one district office, including a county board of education office, at the same election.
(d)CA Elections Code § 10603(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a proposal to form a unified school district is on the same ballot as the election of governing board members of that district, any candidate for a position on the existing governing board may file nomination papers for that position pursuant to subdivision (a) and may, at the same election, also file nomination papers for a position on the
governing board of the proposed unified school district.
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Section § 10604
This law section explains what happens if the current member of a school or community college district board or county board of education does not file or withdraws their candidacy for re-election by a specific deadline. If they don't file by 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the election, others have until 5 p.m. on the 83rd day to file. However, this does not apply if there is no eligible incumbent. Additionally, candidates can withdraw until the 83rd-day deadline, but only if there is an incumbent eligible to seek re-election.
(a)CA Elections Code § 10604(a) Notwithstanding Section 10603, if a declaration of candidacy for an incumbent member of a school district or community college district governing board or of a county board of education is not filed by 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the election, or is filed but then is withdrawn before 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the election, any person, other than the person who was the incumbent on the 88th day, shall have until 5 p.m. on the 83rd day before an election to file a declaration of candidacy for the elective office.
(b)CA Elections Code § 10604(b) This section is not applicable where there is no incumbent eligible to be elected. If this section is applicable, notwithstanding Section
10603, a candidate whose declaration of candidacy has been filed for any school district or community college district governing board election or county board of education election may withdraw as a candidate until 5 p.m. on the 83rd day before the election.
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