Directors of a rural road improvement district shall be the owners of real property in and residents of said district. At the time of making its order organizing the district, the board of county commissioners shall set a first meeting of property owners of said district and direct the manner of giving notice by publication thereof. The owners of property within the district present at such meeting shall elect nine (9) directors who shall hold their office until the next general election, at which time their successors shall be elected. The property owners present at such first meeting shall adopt the bylaws of the district. At the first general election after organization of the district the three qualified persons receiving the highest number of votes for member of board of directors of the district shall hold their respective offices for the term of six (6) years. The three qualified persons receiving the next highest number of votes shall be elected for four (4) years, and the three qualified persons having the next highest number of votes shall be elected for two (2) years. Each two (2) years thereafter, there shall be elected for a term of six (6) years three members of said board of directors. The board of directors of the district shall submit, within fifteen (15) days before the filing period of any district election, a resolution to the secretary of the county election board conducting said election. The resolution shall contain the following:

1. The date of the election; and

2. The offices to be filled or the questions to be voted upon at the election; and

3. Qualifications for the offices; and

4. Any other information necessary for conducting said election.

The regular election in the district shall be held at the same time as the general election in this state. All polling places of precincts, all or any part of which include areas within the boundaries of the district, shall be supplied ballots for the purpose of permitting electors of the district to vote for members of the board of directors of the district. Filing for the office of member of the board of directors shall be with the county election board on a nonpartisan basis during the regular filing period for state and county offices and shall be done without the payment of a filing fee and without filing of a petition in support of the candidate's candidacy. Vacancies on the board shall be filled, for the unexpired term thereof, by the board of directors.

Added by Laws 1986, c. 93, § 6, eff. Nov. 1, 1986.