§ 730. Unified union school district board members; nomination and election; bond
(a) If by Australian ballot. The provisions of this subsection (a) shall apply to a unified union school district that conducts elections for board membership by Australian ballot.
(1) Proportional to town population.
(A) When membership on the board of a unified union school district is apportioned to each town within the district in a number that is closely proportional to the town’s relative population, the voters residing in the town 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 town;
(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 town or one percent of the legal voters in the town, 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 town, the town clerk shall transmit the name of each duly nominated candidate to the clerk of the unified union school district.
(C) The district clerk shall prepare a unified union school district ballot for each town and shall transmit the ballot to the town clerk to make available to the voters residing in the town.
(D) The voters of a town within the unified union school district shall elect as many board members as are apportioned for that term of office based on the population of the town.
(2) Modified at-large model: allocation to town; at-large representation.
(A) When membership on the board of a unified union school district is allocated to each town within the district, but the allocation is not closely proportional to the town’s relative population and the board member is elected at-large, the voters residing in any one or more of the towns within the district 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 town 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 unified union school district;
(iv) the voters file the petition with the clerk of the unified union 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 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 town within the unified union school district shall furnish to the district clerk, at the expense of the district, authenticated copies of the checklist of legal voters within the town as the checklist appears after revisions are made pursuant to 17 V.S.A. §§ 2141–2150.
(C) The district clerk shall prepare the unified union school district ballot to include the name of each duly nominated candidate and shall transmit the ballot to the town clerk of each town within the district to make available to the voters residing in the town.
(D) The voters of the unified union 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 a unified union school district board is not apportioned or allocated pursuant to subdivision (1) (proportional to town population) or (2) (modified at-large) of this subsection (a) and the board member is elected at large, the voters residing in any one or more of the towns within the district 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 a town within the unified union 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 unified union school district;
(iv) the voters file the petition with the clerk of the unified union 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 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 town within the unified union school district shall furnish to the district clerk, at the expense of the district, authenticated copies of the checklist of legal voters within the town as the checklist appears after revisions are made pursuant to 17 V.S.A. §§ 2141–2150.
(C) The district clerk shall prepare the unified union school district ballot to include the name of each duly nominated candidate and shall transmit the ballot to the town clerk of each town within the district to make available to the voters residing in the town.
(D) The voters of the unified union 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 shall apply to a unified union school district that has not voted to conduct elections for board membership by Australian ballot.
(1) The nomination and election of candidates for the office of unified union school district board member shall occur at a warned meeting of the unified union school district; provided, however, if the 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 town in which the candidate resides, warned for the purpose pursuant to subsection 737(f) 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 clerk shall ensure that the candidate is a voter of a specific town if the 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 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 district clerk shall transmit the name of newly elected board members to the Secretary of State. (Added 2021, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. June 7, 2022.)