Election of Members of Local Boards of Education

Utah Code tit. 20A, ch. 20A-14, pt. 20A-14-P2

in effect

Utah Code § 20A-14-201 Boards of education -- School board districts -- Creation -- Redistricting.

20A-14-201. Boards of education -- School board districts -- Creation -- Redistricting. (1) The county legislative body, for local school districts whose boundaries encompass more than a single municipality, and the municipal legislative body, for local school districts contained completely within a municipality, shall divide the local school district into local school board districts as required under Subsection 20A-14-202(1). (2) The county and municipal legislative bodies shall divide the school district so that the local school board districts are substantially equal in population and are as contiguous and compact as practicable. (3) County and municipal legislative bodies shall redistrict local school board districts to meet the population, compactness, and contiguity requirements of this section: (a) at least once every 10 years; (b) for a new school district or a reorganized new school district that is approved by the voters at a regular general election under Section 53G-3-301.1, 53G-3-301.3, or 53G-3-301.4, before April 1 of the following year; (c) whenever school districts are consolidated; (d) whenever a school district loses more than 20% of the population of the entire school district to another school district; (e) whenever a school district loses more than 50% of the population of a local school board district to another school district; (f) whenever a school district receives new residents equal to at least 20% of the population of the school district at the time of the last redistricting because of a transfer of territory from another school district; and (g) whenever it is necessary to increase the membership of a board as a result of changes in student membership under Section 20A-14-202. (4) If a school district receives territory containing less than 20% of the population of the transferee district at the time of the last redistricting, the local school board may assign the new territory to one or more existing school board districts. (5) Except as provided in Subsection 53G-3-302(1)(b)(ii), redistricting does not affect the right of any school board member to complete the term for which the member was elected. (6) (a) After redistricting, representation in a local school board district shall be determined as provided in this Subsection (6). (b) If, after redistricting, only one board member whose term extends beyond redistricting lives within a local school board district, that board member shall represent that local school board district. (c) If, after redistricting, two or more members whose terms extend beyond redistricting live within a local school board district, the members involved shall select one member by lot to represent the local school board district. (d) The other members shall serve at-large for the remainder of their terms. (e) The at-large board members shall serve in addition to the designated number of board members for the board in question for the remainder of their terms. (f) If there is no board member living within a local school board district whose term extends beyond redistricting, the seat shall be treated as vacant and filled as provided in this part. (7) (a) If, before an election affected by redistricting, the county or municipal legislative body that conducted the redistricting determines that one or more members shall be elected to terms of two years to meet this part's requirements for staggered terms, the legislative body shall determine by lot which of the redistricted local school board districts will elect members to two-year terms and which will elect members to four-year terms. (b) All subsequent elections are for four-year terms. (8) Within 10 calendar days after the day of a local school board district boundary change, the county or municipal legislative body making the change shall send an accurate map or plat of the boundary change to the Utah Geospatial Resource Center created under Section 63A-16-505. (9) Subsections (4) through (7) do not apply to a redistricting that occurs under Subsection (3)(b). Amended by Chapter 448, 2025 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-14-202 Local boards of education -- Membership -- When elected -- Qualifications -- Avoiding conflicts of interest.

20A-14-202. Local boards of education -- Membership -- When elected -- Qualifications -- Avoiding conflicts of interest. (1) (a) The board of education of a school district with a student population of less than 10,000 students comprises five members. (b) The board of education of a school district with a student population of 10,000 or more students but fewer than 50,000 students comprises seven members. (c) Before January 1, 2023, the board of education of a school district with a student population of 50,000 or more students comprises seven members. (d) Beginning on January 1, 2023: (i) the board of education of a school district with a student population of 50,000 or more students but fewer than 100,000 students: (A) except as provided in Subsection (1)(d)(i)(B), comprises seven members; or (B) comprises nine members if the board of education of the school district, by majority vote, increases the board to nine members; and (ii) the board of education of a school district with a student population of 100,000 or more students comprises nine members. (e) Student population is based on the October 1 student count submitted by districts to the State Board of Education. (f) If the number of members of a local school board changes under Subsection (1)(b), (c), or (d), the county or municipality, as applicable, shall redistrict and hold elections as provided in Sections 20A-14-201 and 20A-14-203. (g) Notwithstanding Subsections (1)(a) through (d), a school district with a seven-member or nine-member board does not decrease in size, regardless of subsequent changes in student population. (h) (i) Members of a local board of education shall be elected at each regular general election. (ii) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(h)(iii), in a regular general election year: (A) no more than three members of a local board of education may be elected to a five-member board; (B) no more than four members of a local board of education may be elected to a seven-member board; and (C) no more than five members of a local board of education may be elected to a nine-member board. (iii) A number of members, in excess of the maximums described in Subsection (1)(h)(ii), may be elected only when required due to redistricting, to fill a vacancy, or to implement Subsections (1)(b) through (d). (i) One member of the local board of education shall be elected from each local school board district. (2) (a) An individual seeking election to a local school board shall have been a resident of the local school board district in which the person is seeking election for at least one year immediately preceding the day of the general election at which the board position will be filled. (b) A person who has resided within the local school board district, as the boundaries of the district exist on the date of the general election, for one year immediately preceding the date of the election shall be considered to have met the requirements of this Subsection (2). (3) A member of a local school board shall: (a) be and remain a registered voter in the local school board district from which the member is elected or appointed; and (b) maintain the member's primary residence within the local school board district from which the member is elected or appointed during the member's term of office. (4) A member of a local school board may not, during the member's term in office, also serve as an employee of that board. Amended by Chapter 265, 2022 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-14-203 Becoming a member of a local board of education -- Declaration of candidacy -- Election.

20A-14-203. Becoming a member of a local board of education -- Declaration of candidacy -- Election. (1) An individual may become a candidate for a local school board by: (a) filing a declaration of candidacy with the county clerk during the applicable declaration of candidacy filing period described in Section 20A-9-201.5; and (b) paying the fee described in Section 20A-9-202. (2) (a) The term of office for an individual elected to a local board of education is four years, beginning on the first Monday in January after the election. (b) A member of a local board of education shall serve until a successor is: (i) elected; or (ii) appointed and takes or signs the constitutional oath of office. Amended by Chapter 2, 2025 Special Session 2

Utah Code § 20A-14-204 Effect of transfer of a district on composition of local school board.

20A-14-204. Effect of transfer of a district on composition of local school board. If a portion of one school district becomes part of another school district, any member of the board of education residing within the transferred portion becomes a member of the board of the transferee district and shall serve the remainder of the term to which the member was elected. Enacted by Chapter 1, 1995 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-14-205 Vacancies on local school boards.

20A-14-205. Vacancies on local school boards. Vacancies on local school boards shall be filled as provided in Section 20A-1-511. Enacted by Chapter 1, 1995 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-14-206 Student petition for student member on local school board.

20A-14-206. Student petition for student member on local school board. (1) A student petition requesting that a local school board appoint a nonvoting student member to the board may be submitted to the board under this section. (2) The petition shall have the signatures of at least 500 students regularly enrolled in high school in the district or at least 10% of the number of students regularly enrolled in high school in the district, whichever is less. (3) (a) Upon receipt of the petition, the board may appoint a nonvoting student member to serve a one-year term on the local school board as an addition to the number of regular members authorized by law. (b) A student member's term begins July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year. (4) A student board member shall be enrolled in a high school in the district and may be less than 18 years old. (5) A student member may participate in all board meetings, except executive sessions. (6) (a) A student board member shall receive the same expense allowance granted other board members under Section 53G-4-204. (b) A student member is not liable for any acts of the governing board. Amended by Chapter 415, 2018 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title20A/Chapter14/20A-14-P2.html?v=C20A-14-P2_1800010118000101Fetched: 10/26/2026