(1) The court in the decree establishing a mine drainage district shall order an election to be held under the supervision of the board of county commissioners of the county wherein said district, or the greater portion thereof, is situated, for the purpose of electing five individuals to constitute the board of supervisors for said district, and shall set the time and place of said election, and direct the clerk of said board of county commissioners to cause notice of said election, and the time and place thereof, to be published for four successive weeks prior to the date of said election, in some newspaper published within the county. The individuals so elected shall hold office for one, two, three, four, and five years, in accordance with the number of votes received by them respectively. The individual receiving the highest number of votes is to serve for five years, the one receiving the next highest, four years, the next highest, three years, the next highest, two years, and the next highest, one year.

(2) Each year following the organization of the mine drainage district, elections shall be called by and held under the supervision of the board of county commissioners for the purpose of electing a successor to the member of the board of supervisors of the mine drainage district whose term expires, and to fill any other vacancies that may exist in said board, and at such election a new member shall be elected to said board of supervisors to hold office for five years. Notice of such subsequent elections is to be given in the same manner as provided in this section to be given in the case of the first election. At all elections for members of the board of supervisors of a mine drainage district, each person owning mining claims in the district shall be entitled to one vote for each claim or fractional claim within said district, owned by such person, and only individuals who are residents of the county wherein the mine drainage district lies, and who are owners of mining claims within said district, or officers, managers, or superintendents of corporations owning mining claims within said district shall be qualified for election as members of said board.