ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fourth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: ED DP 10-0-0-3

HB 2678: CTEDs; district governing boards; elections

Sponsor:  Representative Udall, LD 25

House Engrossed

Overview

Allows a school district that previously increased its governing board to five members to reduce, in the next school district general election, its governing board to three members.

History

A school district governing board serves as the governing body of a school district and is made up of three elected members. Governing board members are elected in general elections by qualified electors living within the boundaries of the school district. A person who is a registered voter of this state and has been a resident of the school district for at least one year immediately preceding the day of election is eligible for election as a governing board member (A.R.S. §§ 15-401, 15-421).

An elector of a school district may submit a petition to the county school superintendent, signed by at least 10% of the school district electors, requesting the county school superintendent call a special election to determine if the governing board should be increased to five members. Upon receipt of the petition, the county school superintendent must call a special election at least 90 days before the general election. Public notices of the special election must be posted in at least three places in the district at least 10 days prior to the election. If a majority of the electors vote to increase the governing board, the school district must elect five governing board members. If the majority of the electors vote against the increase, the question may not be placed on a ballot again for one year after the election (A.R.S. § 15-425).

A school district that increases its governing board to five members must elect its members as follows: 1) if one of the previous three offices is to be filled, the three candidates having the highest, the second highest and the third highest number of votes must be elected to four-year terms; or 2) if two of the previous three offices are to be filled, the candidates receiving the highest, the second highest and the third highest number of votes must be elected to four-year terms (A.R.S. § 15-424).

Under current law, a person who is a registered voter and a resident of a single member district is eligible for election as a member of a career and technical education district (CTED) governing board from that single member district (A.R.S. § 15-393).

Provisions

Reduction of Governing Board to Three Members

1.    Allows a qualified elector of a school district to submit to the county school superintendent a petition, signed by at least 10% of the qualified electors of the district, requesting that the question of reducing the number of members of the governing board to three be considered in the next general election. (Sec. 3)

2.    Instructs the county school superintendent to submit the question to the qualified electors of the school district at the next general election. (Sec. 3)

3.    Allows only a school district that previously increased its governing board to five members to hold an election to reduce its membership to three members. (Sec. 3)

4.    Mandates public notices of a general election addressing the question to be posted in at least three public places in the school district at least 10 days before the general election. (Sec. 3)

5.    Specifies the required language that must be included in the ballot. (Sec. 3)

6.    Requires a school district to reduce its governing board to three members if the majority of the electors vote in favor of reduction. (Sec. 3)

7.    Stipulates that the question may not be placed on the ballot of an election in the district for at least one year if the majority of electors vote against reduction. (Sec. 3)

Election of Governing Board Members

8.    ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteStates that a member who is serving on a school district governing board that reduces its governing board to three members will continue to serve as a member until the expiration of their current term of office. (Sec. 2)

9.    Outlines the election requirements for a school district reducing its governing board to three members. (Sec. 2)

Miscellaneous

10.  Requires a person to be a resident of a single member district for at least one year before being elected as a CTED governing board member from that single member district. (Sec. 1)

11.  Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2)

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15.  Initials CH/EB                   House Engrossed

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