Sec. 17. (a) The clerk shall create the form of notice of the election and the ballot not more than thirty (30) days after receiving the certification from the state board as required by section 15 of this chapter. The notice must:

(1) state the date when the election shall take place; and

(2) describe generally the plans to be voted upon.

(b) The text of the public question on the ballot must include a description of the plan proposed, including:

(1) the number of members on the board;

(2) the number of electoral or resident member districts, if any;

(3) the number of at-large districts, if any;

(4) a general description of the geographical boundaries of the districts, referring to civil boundaries where applicable or merely general descriptions, such as the north half or north part of a civil geographical district or the territory north of a geographical boundary; and

(5) other information sufficient to distinguish a plan from other plans.

If the text of the public question includes a description of the plan regarding how the current board is organized, as required by subsection (d), the plan must be identified as the existing plan.

(c) If only one (1) plan is proposed, the ballot shall be prepared so that voters who wish to vote on the plan must cast either an affirmative vote or a negative vote.

(d) If more than one (1) plan is proposed, the plan organizing the governing body must appear on the ballot as an option. The text of the public question must include a description of the existing plan that meets the criteria specified in subsection (b). The ballot must be prepared so that voters who wish to vote on the plans may vote for only one (1) plan.

(e) The text of the public question must be placed on the ballot in the form prescribed by IC 3-10-9-4.

(f) Subject to IC 3-12-1, the notice or ballot is not invalid if there has been a good faith effort to comply with this section.

[Pre-2005 Elementary and Secondary Education Recodification Citation: 20-4-10.1-11.]

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.7.