School district and community college district elections: signature requirements.

Under existing law, whenever a school district or community college district vacancy occurs, or if a resignation has been filed with the county superintendent of schools creating a deferred effective date, the school district or community college district governing board is required, within 60 days of the vacancy or the filing of the deferred resignation, either to order an election or to make a provisional appointment. Existing law provides that if a provisional appointment is made, the registered voters of the district may, within 30 days, petition for a special election to fill the vacancy. Existing law requires that a special election be called if 1.5% of registered voters at the time of the last election, or 25 registered voters, whichever is greater, sign the petition, and other requirements for a petition calling for a special election are satisfied. In districts with less than 2,000 registered voters, existing law establishes the petition signature requirement as at least 5% of the number of registered voters of the district at the time of the last regular election, as provided. This bill would change those petition signature requirements to instead require the signatures of 10% of registered voters in districts with less than 10,000 registered voters, 5% of registered voters in districts with between 10,000 and 50,000 registered voters, and 2.5% of registered voters in districts with more than 50,000 registered voters, as provided. To the extent this change would require additional duties on local agencies or officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.