Common interest developments: association governance: elections.

The Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act defines and regulates common interest developments that are not a commercial or industrial common interest development. The act requires a common interest development to be managed by an association, requires the association to select one or 3 independent 3rd parties as an inspector or inspectors of elections, and generally requires the association's elections regarding assessments legally requiring a vote, the election and removal of directors, amendments to the governing documents, or the grant of exclusive use of common area, to be conducted by the inspector or inspectors of elections in accordance with specified rules and procedures. The act excepts from these election requirements an election of directors if the governing documents of the association provide that one member from each separate interest is a director. This bill would additionally except from those election requirements an election of directors if the election is uncontested, as defined, and would provide a procedure for an election to be declared as uncontested. The bill adds 2 additional election requirements that would ensure an announcement of an election and notification of nomination procedures is provided in a specific manner and would ensure a member who meets specified qualification requirements is not denied the right to vote or the right to be a candidate for director. The bill would authorize a cause of action alleging a violation of these election requirements to be brought in small claims court if the amount of the demand does not exceed the jurisdiction of that court.