(1) The first board of education of a district shall be elected at the same election as the election at which votes are cast for the formation of the district. Nominations for the board of education positions to be filled by nomination and election at-large shall be made by petition requesting that such person’s name be placed on the ballot and signed with the signatures of at least 50 electors registered in the proposed district. If the district has been zoned and the position is to be filled by nomination or election by zone, the petition shall be signed by at least 25 electors registered in the zone. The petition shall be presented to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission at least 70 days prior to the election. Upon receipt of petitions that comply with applicable law, the commission shall cause the names of the nominees to be placed upon the ballot.

(2) Seven members shall be elected to the first board, to serve terms of four and two years respectively in accordance with the number of votes each receives with the three members receiving the largest number of votes serving the four-year terms. The terms of office of the members of the first board shall be computed from the date of June 30 subsequent to the date of their election, but the members shall take office immediately following the election. If for any reason a district is not formed, the election of board members for that proposed district is void.

(3) If the district has been zoned, the commission shall designate the positions to be nominated or elected by zone and shall specify the length of the term to be served by each member of the first board elected by zone.

(4) If the election is at large, the length of the term of office of members of the first board elected shall be determined in accordance with the number of votes each receives in the election. Those receiving the highest number of votes may serve the four-year terms, subject to any term designations made by the commission under subsection (3) of this section. [Formerly 341.800; 1971 c.513 §79; 1973 c.796 §52; 1983 c.83 §74; 1995 c.258 §8; 2013 c.747 §57; 2019 c.449 §37]