ARTICLE 1. Divisions and Methods of Electing Directors [21550. - 21562.5.]

Cal. Water Code - WAT 1.

in effect

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21550. Section 21550.

Each district shall contain five divisions unless otherwise provided by the more recent of: (a) The order on final hearing on the formation petition. (b) An order made pursuant to this article. (c) An order made pursuant to Article 2 of this chapter.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21551. Section 21551.

Directors shall be elected by the division each represents unless otherwise provided by the more recent of: (a) The order on final hearing on the formation petition. (b) An order made pursuant to this article. (c) An order made pursuant to Article 2 of this chapter.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21552. Section 21552.

As provided in this article the number of divisions may be changed to three or five or the method of electing directors may be changed to election by the district at large or by divisions, or both changes may be made simultaneously.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21552.1. Section 21552.1.

(a) Notwithstanding Sections 21550, 21551 and 21552, the local agency formation commission, in approving either a consolidation of districts or the reorganization of two or more districts into a single irrigation district may, pursuant to subdivisions (k) and (n) of Section 56886 of the Government Code, increase the number of directors to serve on the board of directors of the consolidated or reorganized district to 7, 9, or 11, who shall be members of the board of directors of the districts to be consolidated or reorganized as of the effective date of the consolidation or reorganization. (b) Upon the expiration of the terms of the members of the board of directors of the consolidated district, or a district reorganized as described in subdivision (a), whose terms first expire following the effective date of the consolidation or reorganization, the total number of members on the board of directors shall be reduced until the number equals the number of members permitted by the principal act of the consolidated or reorganized district, or any larger number as may be specified by the local agency formation commission in approving the consolidation or reorganization. (c) In addition to the powers granted under Section 1780 of the Government Code, in the event of a vacancy on the board of directors of the consolidated district or a district reorganized as described in subdivision (a) at which time the total number of directors is greater than five, the board of directors may, by majority vote of the remaining members of the board, choose not to fill the vacancy. In that event, the total membership of the board of directors shall be reduced by one board member. Upon making the determination not to fill a vacancy, the board of directors shall notify the board of supervisors of its decision. (d) For the purposes of this section: “consolidation” means consolidation, as defined in Section 56030 of the Government Code; “district” or “special district” means district or special district, as defined in Section 56036 of the Government Code; and “reorganization” means reorganization, as defined in Section 56073 of the Government Code.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21553. Section 21553.

The board shall order a change in the number of divisions or the method of electing directors, or both, or increase the number of directors from three to five in a district without divisions, if a petition therefor, signed by a majority of the holders of title to all of the land who are also the holders of title to a majority in value of the land, is filed in the district office at least 85 days before a general district election.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21554. Section 21554.

The board shall submit at a general district election or at a special election a proposal for a change in the number of divisions or the method of electing directors or both when either: (a) At least 120 days before the general district election a petition for the submission of a proposal therefor set forth in the petition, signed by at least 500 holders of title to land who are also the holders of title to at least 20 percent in value of all of the land, is filed in the district office. (b) At least 90 days before the general district election the board adopts a resolution for the submission of a proposal therefor set forth in the resolution. (c) The board by resolution calls a special election to be held in the district for submission of a proposal therefor set forth in the resolution.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21555. Section 21555.

With regard to submitting a proposal at the general district election, the notices required by Section 12112 of the Elections Code shall contain a statement of the change or changes proposed to appear on the ballot.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21555.5. Section 21555.5.

(a) Notice of a special election called pursuant to Section 21554 shall specify the purpose of the election and the day, hours, and polling places in each precinct for holding the election, and shall be posted in three public places in each election precinct in the district for at least 20 days and published in a newspaper published in the county once a week for at least three successive weeks. (b) The election shall be held and the result determined and declared as nearly as practicable in conformity with general district elections.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21556. Section 21556.

Each proposal shall be stated on the ballot, and the method of voting on it shall be as nearly as practicable in conformity with the provisions relating to bond elections.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21557. Section 21557.

If a proposal receives the approval of a majority of the voters voting on it in the district and also a majority of the voters voting on it in each of a majority of the divisions, the board shall order the change or changes in accordance with the proposal.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21558. Section 21558.

If an order made pursuant to this article changes the method of electing directors, all directors thereafter elected in the district shall be elected as provided in the order.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21559. Section 21559.

If an order made pursuant to this article changes the number of divisions, the board shall forthwith redivide the district into the number of divisions specified in the order.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21560. Section 21560.

If an order made pursuant to this article changes the number of divisions, the terms of office of all directors shall expire at noon on the first Friday in December following the next general district election after the order, and the directors elected at that election shall be equal in number to the number of divisions as changed and these directors shall at their first meeting classify themselves and determine the length of their respective terms in the manner provided in subdivision (c) of Section 10505 of the Elections Code.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21561. Section 21561.

Notwithstanding Sections 21550 and 21551, or any other provision of law to the contrary, directors of the Jackson Valley Irrigation District shall be nominated and elected at large. All vacancies in the offices of directors of the Jackson Valley Irrigation District shall be filled pursuant to Section 1780 of the Government Code.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21562. Section 21562.

Notwithstanding Section 21550, if a district contains no divisions and the board consists of three members, without establishing divisions the district may increase the number of directors from three to five by following the procedure set forth in this article.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21562.5. Section 21562.5.

(a) This section applies to the Alta Irrigation District. (b) Notwithstanding Section 21550, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that increases the number of directors and the divisions from which they are elected from five to seven in accordance with this section. (c) Notwithstanding Section 21383, if the number of district directors is increased from five to seven pursuant to this section, the number of directors required to constitute a quorum of the board and to concur on all questions, except a motion to adjourn or a motion to adjourn to a stated time, is four. (d) (1) The board of directors shall, by resolution, adjust the boundaries of any divisions so that the divisions are, as far as practicable, equal in population and comply with the applicable provisions of Section 1973 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended. In establishing the boundaries of the district, the board may give consideration to all of the following factors: (A) Topography. (B) Geography. (C) Cohesiveness, contiguity, integrity, and compactness of territory. (D) Community of interest of the district. (2) The resolution requires the vote of not less than a majority of the directors for adoption. (3) At the time of, or after, any annexation of territory to the district, the board of directors shall designate, by resolution, the division of which the annexed territory shall be a part. (4) No change in division boundaries may be made within 180 days preceding the election of any director. (5) (A) A change in division boundaries shall not affect the term of office of any director. (B) If division boundaries are adjusted, the director of the division whose boundaries have been adjusted, shall continue to be the director of the division bearing the number of his or her division as formerly comprised until the office becomes vacant by means of term expiration or otherwise, whether or not the director is a resident within the boundaries of the division as adjusted. (6) The successor to the office in a division whose boundaries have been adjusted shall be a resident and voter of that division. (7) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit or restrict the district from adjusting the boundaries of any divisions whenever the governing body of the district determines that a sufficient change in population has occurred that makes it desirable in the opinion of the governing body to adjust the boundaries of any divisions, or whenever any territory is added to or excluded from the district. (e) (1) Before considering the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b), the board of directors shall provide at least 45 days notice of the public hearing at which the board proposes to act on the resolution. The notice of the public hearing shall be provided by placing a display advertisement of at least one-eighth page in a newspaper of general circulation in each county and incorporated city in which territory of the district is located for three weeks pursuant to Section 6063 of the Government Code. The public hearing shall be held at least 45 days after the first publication of the notice. (2) The notice required by paragraph (1) shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (A) A statement that the board of directors will consider a resolution to change from five to seven the number of directors of the district and the divisions from which they are elected. (B) The phone number and address of an individual that interested persons may contact to receive additional information about the resolution. (C) The date, time, and location of the public hearing. (D) Notice that the resolution will be effective for the next district elections occurring at least 180 days after adoption of the resolution unless a petition protesting the resolution containing the signatures of not less than 10 percent of the registered qualified voters of the district is filed with the secretary of the district within 30 days from the date of the adoption of the resolution in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as are set forth in Sections 3754, 3755, and 3755.5 of the Elections Code, except that all elections referred to in those sections and officers of the county mentioned in those sections shall be construed to refer to general or special district elections and to comparable officers of the district; and the heading of the proposed referendum shall be in substantially the following form: “Referendum Against a Resolution Passed by the Board of Directors of the Alta Irrigation District Changing From Five to Seven the Number of Directors of the District and the Divisions From Which They Are Elected.” (f) This section shall become operative only if Assembly Bill 2536 of the 1993–94 Regular Session is not enacted or does not become operative.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026