HB 249

Page 1

AN ACT

RELATING TO ELECTIONS; ALLOWING COMMUNITY COLLEGE ELECTIONS TO

BE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTIONS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 21-13-8 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1963,

Chapter 17, Section 7, as amended) is amended to read:

"21-13-8. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD.--

A. Community college board members shall be over

twenty-one years of age, qualified electors and residents of

the community college district.

B. Community college board members shall be

elected for staggered terms of six years beginning on April 1

succeeding their elections. Elections shall be held:

(1) in conjunction with regular school

district elections on the first Tuesday of February in each

odd-numbered year if the community college board and school

board agree to hold their elections at the same time; or

(2) on the date otherwise prescribed by the

Community College Act.

C. All vacancies caused in any other manner than

by the expiration of the term of office shall be filled by

appointment by the remaining members. An individual appointed

by the remaining members of the board to fill a vacancy in

office shall serve until the next community college board

HB 249

Page 2

election, at which time candidates shall file for and be

elected to fill the vacant position to serve the remainder of

the unexpired term.

D. A community college board shall select from its

members a chair and secretary who shall serve in these offices

until the next regular community college board election.

After each community college board election, the members shall

proceed to reorganize."

Section 2. Section 21-13-18.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws

1993, Chapter 75, Section 3) is amended to read:

"21-13-18.1. REGULAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE ELECTION--

RESOLUTION--PUBLICATION.--

A. The community college board shall issue a

resolution in English and Spanish calling for a regular

community college election within the community college

district on the date prescribed by the Community College Act.

The resolution shall be filed with each county clerk in the

community college district on the third Friday in December or,

if the election is held in conjunction with a school district

election, the last Tuesday in November of each even-numbered

year.

B. The resolution shall specify:

(1) the date the election will be held;

(2) the positions on the board to be filled;

(3) the date on which declarations of

candidacy are to be filed;

(4) the date on which declarations of intent

to be a write-in candidate are to be filed;

(5) any questions to be submitted to the

voters;

(6) the precincts in each county in which

the election is to be held and the location of each polling

place;

(7) the hours each polling place will be

open; and

(8) the date and time of the closing of the

registration books by the county clerks as required by law.

C. In the event that only one candidate files a

declaration of candidacy for each position to be filled at an

election and no declared write-in candidates have filed for

any position in which there is any other candidate and there

are no questions or bond issues on the ballot, only one

polling place for the election shall be designated and it

shall be in the office of the county clerk of the county in

which the community college is located.

D. In any election held under the Community

College Act, the county clerk shall perform the duties of the

precinct board and no other precinct board shall be

appointed." HB 249

Page 3