The election of officers may be consolidated with the direct primary election if the board of directors passes a resolution to that effect on or before the first day of August of the preceding odd-numbered year, and states in the resolution those offices of director to be filled at the first consolidated election. The offices that may be filled at the first consolidated election in those districts whose general district elections are held pursuant to the Uniform District Election Law are those offices that would have expired on the last Friday of December of the year preceding the direct primary election and in all other districts are those offices that would have expired in the year of the consolidated election or in the year next following. Upon a determination to consolidate pursuant to this section, the affected officers shall hold office until the first meeting of the board following the entry of the statement of the result of the consolidated election on the records of the board of supervisors or until the end of the terms for which they were elected, whichever is shorter. In the event this consolidation procedure is used, all other elective offices shall expire and be filled in the same manner at the next succeeding consolidated election. Any vacant office resulting from the operation of this section shall be filled by appointment by the board.

If the election of directors is consolidated, and if there is to be but one person to be elected to the office, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast for the candidates for that office shall be declared elected. If there are two or more persons to be elected to the office, those candidates equal in number to the number to be elected who receive the highest number of votes for the office shall be declared elected. If a tie vote makes it impossible to determine which of two or more candidates has been elected, the governing board shall forthwith notify the candidates who have received the tie votes to appear before it either personally or by representative, at a time and place designated by the governing body. The governing body shall then determine the tie by lot and the results thereof shall be declared by the governing body. The candidate so chosen shall qualify, take office and serve as though elected at the preceding general district election.

For consolidated elections, candidates shall declare their candidacy and shall be nominated, election returns shall be canvassed, the election shall be held and conducted, the results shall be declared, and the certificates of election shall be issued, in the same manner as the declaration of candidacy, nomination, election, canvassing of returns, declaration of results, and issuance of certificates of election for county officers are made, declared, held, and conducted, and issued, so far as consistent with the provisions of this section. Directors elected under this section, except the first board of directors, shall take office at the first meeting of the board following the entry of the statement of the result of the consolidated election on the records of the board of supervisors. Elections held under this section at the time of the direct primary election and consolidated therewith shall be known as the general district election, and each other election in a district holding elections under this section which may be held by authority of this law, the Elections Code, or other law applicable thereto, shall be known as a special district election.

Part 3 (commencing with Section 10400) of Division 10 of, and Section 10515 of the Elections Code shall apply to every consolidation under this section.

(Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 923, Sec. 123. Effective January 1, 1995.)