(a) If a tie vote makes it impossible to determine either which of two or more candidates has been elected to the governing board or the term of office of a governing board member, the county superintendent of schools having jurisdiction shall so certify to the governing board.

(b) The governing board may either call a runoff election or determine the winner or winners by lot. Prior to conducting any school board election on or after March 1, 1977, the governing board of each school district shall establish which of such procedures is to be employed by the district in the event of a tie vote.

(c) If the governing board decides to determine the winner by lot, the governing board shall forthwith notify the candidates who have received the tie votes to appear before it either personally or by a representative at a time and place designated by the governing board. The governing board shall at that time and place determine the winner or winners by lot.

(d) If the governing board decides to call a runoff election, it shall call a runoff election to be held in the district on the sixth Tuesday following the election at which the tie vote occurred. Only the candidates receiving the tie votes shall appear on the ballots. Any member of the governing board who will be succeeded by a winner of the runoff election and whose term would expire before the winner of the runoff election would be determined shall continue to discharge the duties of his office until his successor has qualified. The runoff election shall be called and conducted substantially in the manner provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5300) of this part, provided, that the governing board shall determine the adjustments of the time requirements prescribed therein which would be necessary in order to conduct the runoff election.

(Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1205.)