(a)  Any vacancy created by the expiration of the term of office of a member of the county committee on school district organization shall be filled by the majority vote of the representatives of the governing boards at the annual meeting called and held pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 4005. The county committee may authorize the representatives of the governing boards to vote, for this purpose, through the use of absentee ballots that are submitted, in the form and manner prescribed by the county committee, prior to the date set for the annual meeting.

(b) If the representatives fail to elect members to fill the vacancies on the county committee pursuant to subdivision (a), the vacancies shall be filled by the county superintendent of schools.

(c) Vacancies on the county committee which occur prior to the expiration of the term of office of a member of the county committee, which are caused by the happening of any of the events specified in Section 1770 of the Government Code, shall be filled as follows:

(1) In a county in which the members of the county committee are appointed by the county superintendent of schools, by the appointment of the county superintendent of schools.

(2) In a county in which the members of the county committee are elected by the representatives of the governing boards, by the majority vote of the remaining members of the committee. However, if the remaining members of the committee do not fill the vacancy within 70 days of its occurrence, the county superintendent of schools shall fill the vacancy by his or her appointment.

Persons elected or appointed to fill a vacancy pursuant to this subdivision shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(d) It is the intent of the Legislature that the allowance for absentee ballots will increase participation in the selection of county committees and will not diminish the public review of candidates for those county committees.

(Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 860, Sec. 1.)