Alabama § 45-58-140.09 - Managing District Affairs and Business.

(a) The affairs and business of the district shall be managed by a board of trustees consisting of five members who shall be elected by the qualified electors residing in the district. The current board members on May 25, 1999, elected at the general election in November 1996, shall serve until October 1, 2000, and the current board members elected at the general election in November 1998, shall serve until October 1, 2002, at which time the new board members elected pursuant to this part shall take office. The fire districts shall conduct the elections for board membership on the second Tuesday of September of every even year, to take office on October 1, of that year and every four years thereafter.

(b) No person shall be elected to the board unless he or she is a person who is a registered voter residing within the boundaries of the district. A person who desires to run for the board shall file a notice of candidacy for a place on the board with the judge of probate on or before July 15 preceding the election. The person receiving the highest number of votes for each place shall be the successful candidate. In the event of a tie vote, the top two candidates shall draw lots in the presence of the judge of probate to determine the winning candidate. In the event that there is only one candidate who qualifies to run for a place, the judge of probate shall certify the election of that candidate to that place and no election for that place shall be held.

(c) Each term shall be for a term of four years. Provided, however, that to stagger the terms, Place No. 1 and Place No. 2 initially shall be elected for a term of two years, and Places 3, 4, and 5 shall be elected for a term of four years, in the first election held after an election providing for the formation of a district created pursuant to this part. The initial election shall be conducted on the second Tuesday of September of the first even year after organization.

(d) In the event of a vacancy on the board of trustees, the place vacant shall be filled by the majority vote of the remaining membership of the board of trustees, for the unexpired term of the vacant position. A vacancy shall also be deemed to occur in the event there is a place for which no candidate has been nominated, and the vacancy for the new term shall be filled as provided for herein, except that the office holder whose term has expired shall continue to hold office until the vacancy is filled.