(a) Notwithstanding Section 55301, the Board of Directors of the Mendocino County Waterworks District #2 shall be elected. The elected board of directors shall act as the governing board of the district.

(b) There shall be five members of the board who shall be elected at large throughout the district. The directors shall be residents of the district at the time of election and shall remain residents throughout their term. Failure to maintain residency shall cause the director to vacate the office. The directors shall serve four-year terms. The election of directors shall be held by the all-mailed ballot procedure pursuant to Division 4 (commencing with Section 4000) of the Elections Code on the date described in Section 1500 of the Elections Code.

(c) Elections for the directors shall be conducted by the county clerk or by another election officer designated by the Mendocino Board of Supervisors. The district shall be responsible for the cost of the district elections.

(d) Unless otherwise provided or required by this section, Part 4 (commencing with Section 10500) of Division 10 of the Elections Code shall apply to the conduct of the district election.

(e) Any vacancy on the board, other than upon the expiration of a term, shall be filled by a majority vote of the directors. However, no vacancy shall be filled by less than three members’ affirmative votes. If the board fails to fill a vacancy within 60 days of the vacancy or if the membership of the board is less than four, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors may appoint members to fill the vacancies. Appointed members shall serve until the next district election at which time the remainder of the unexpired term shall be filled at that election in the manner provided in this section.

(f) Directors shall be elected without reference to districts and, except for the filling of unexpired terms, without reference to a specific directorship. All candidates for open seats, except for the filling of unexpired terms, shall appear on the same ballot. Voters shall be allowed to vote for the number of candidates equal to the open seats; that number of candidates equal to the number of open seats that receive a plurality shall be elected. Write-in votes shall be counted, provided that the write-in candidate shall have complied with the requirements of subdivision (d) pertaining to the filing of a nomination form and signatures with the county clerk no less than 14 days prior to the election.

(g) Directors duly elected and certified at the first election shall assume office on July 1, 1996. The two-year terms shall expire on June 30, 1998. The first four-year terms shall expire on June 30, 2000. All subsequent terms shall expire on the last day of June in even-numbered years.

(h) Directors shall receive no compensation for service, except as permitted under Section 55305, but may be reimbursed only for necessary and actual expenses. Regulations governing reimbursement may be adopted by the board.

(i) Effective July 1, 1996, the elected Mendocino County Waterworks District #2 Board of Directors shall succeed to and have all the powers previously conferred upon the board of supervisors and the appointed board of directors in reference to this district.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 132, Sec. 4. (SB 1188) Effective January 1, 2013.)