Vermont § 748 - Union elementary and union high school district board members; nomination and election; bond

§ 748. Union elementary and union high school district board members; nomination and election; bond

• (a) If by Australian ballot. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to a union elementary or union high
  school district that conducts elections for board membership by Australian ballot. (1) Proportional to town population. (A) When membership on the board of a union elementary or union high school district is
  apportioned to each member district in a number that is closely proportional to the
  member district’s relative population, the voters of the member district may file
  a petition nominating a candidate for board membership. A petition is valid only if: (i) the candidate is a current voter of the member district; (ii) the petition identifies the term of office for which the candidate is nominated; (iii) the petition is signed by at least 30 voters residing in the member district or one
  percent of the legal voters in that district, whichever is less; (iv) the voters file the petition with the town clerk not later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixth
  Monday preceding the day of the election; and (v) the candidate files with the town clerk a written consent to the printing of the candidate’s
  name on the ballot. (B) After confirming that the names on the petition correspond to registered voters of
  the member district, the town clerk shall transmit the name of each duly nominated
  candidate to the clerk of the union elementary or union high school district. (C) The union district clerk shall prepare a union elementary or union high school district
  ballot for each member district and shall transmit the ballot to the town clerk to
  make available to the voters residing in the member district. (D) The voters of the member district shall elect as many board members as are apportioned
  for that term of office on the union elementary or union high school district board
  based on the population of the member district. (2) Modified at-large model: allocation to town; at-large representation. (A) When membership on the board of a union elementary or union high school district is
  allocated to each member district, but the allocation is not closely proportional
  to the member district’s population and the board member is elected at-large, the
  voters residing in any one or more of the member districts may file a petition nominating
  a candidate for board membership under the “modified at-large” model. A petition is
  valid only if: (i) the candidate is a current voter of the member district to which the seat is allocated; (ii) the petition identifies the term of office for which the candidate is nominated; (iii) the petition is signed by at least 60 voters residing in the union elementary or union
  high school district or one percent of the legal voters in the district, whichever
  is less; (iv) the voters file the petition with the clerk of the union elementary or union high
  school district not later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixth Monday preceding the day of
  the election; and (v) the candidate files with the union district clerk a written consent to the printing
  of the candidate’s name on the ballot. (B) Not later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixth Monday preceding the day of the election, the
  town clerk of each member district shall furnish to the union district clerk, at the
  expense of the union district, authenticated copies of the checklist of legal voters
  within the member district as the checklist appears after revisions are made pursuant
  to 17 V.S.A. §§ 2141–2150. (C) The union district clerk shall prepare the union elementary or union high school district
  ballot to include the name of each duly nominated candidate and shall transmit the
  ballot to the town clerk of each member district to make available to the voters residing
  in the member district. (D) The voters of the union elementary or union high school district shall elect as many
  board members as are to be elected at-large for that term of office under the “modified
  at-large” model. (3) At-large representation. (A) When membership on the board of a union elementary or union high school district is
  not apportioned or allocated pursuant to subdivision (1) (proportional to town population)
  or (2) (modified at-large) of this subsection (a) (Australian ballot) and the board
  member is elected at large, the voters residing in any one or more of the member districts
  may file a petition nominating a candidate for at-large board membership. A petition
  is valid only if: (i) the candidate is a current voter of the union elementary or union high school district; (ii) the petition identifies the term of office for which the candidate is nominated; (iii) the petition is signed by at least 60 voters residing in the union elementary or union
  high school district or one percent of the legal voters in the district, whichever
  is less; (iv) the voters file the petition with the clerk of the union elementary or union high
  school district not later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixth Monday preceding the day of
  the election; and (v) the candidate files with the union district clerk a written consent to the printing
  of the candidate’s name on the ballot. (B) Not later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixth Monday preceding the day of the election, the
  town clerk of each member district shall furnish to the union district clerk, at the
  expense of the union district, authenticated copies of the checklist of legal voters
  within the member district as the checklist appears after revisions are made pursuant
  to 17 V.S.A. §§ 2141–2150. (C) The union district clerk shall prepare the union elementary or union high school district
  ballot to include the name of each duly nominated candidate and shall transmit the
  ballot to the town clerk of each member district to make available to the voters residing
  in the member district. (D) The voters of the union elementary or union high school district shall elect as many
  board members as are to be elected at-large for that term of office. (b) If not by Australian ballot. The provisions of this subsection (b) shall apply to a union elementary or union high
  school district that does not conduct elections for board membership by Australian
  ballot. (1) The nomination and election of candidates for the office of union elementary or union
  high school district board member shall occur at a warned meeting of the union school
  district; provided, however, if the union district elects board members under the
  “proportional to town population” model, then the nomination and election of candidates
  shall occur at an annual or special meeting of the member district for the town in
  which the candidate resides, warned for the purpose pursuant to subsection 755(f)
  (warnings of union elementary and union high school district meetings; members elected
  under proportional to town population model and by floor vote) of this chapter. (2) Voters shall only nominate a person who is present at the meeting, and the person
  shall accept or reject the nomination. (3) The meeting shall proceed in a manner to ensure that the candidate is a voter of a
  specific member district if the union district elects board members under either the
  “proportional to town population” model or the “modified at-large” model. (c) Bond. Before a newly elected board member enters upon the duties of office, the union district
  shall ensure that the district’s blanket bond covers the new member. In lieu of a
  blanket bond, the district may choose to provide suitable crime insurance coverage. (d) Notification. Within 10 days after the election of a board member pursuant to this section, the
  union elementary or union high school district clerk shall transmit the name of the
  newly elected board member to the Secretary of State. (Added 2021, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. June 7, 2022; amended 2023, No. 66, § 11, eff. July 1, 2023.)