Section 22-5-3.1 - Local school boards; reversion to five members. - New Mexico Statutes

22-5-3.1. Local school boards; reversion to five members.

A.     Any seven-member local school board of a school district in the state may by resolution provide for the local board of that district to be composed of five qualified electors of the state who reside within the district.   

B.     If the resolution specified in Subsection A of this section is adopted, the existing local school board at the first election at which the terms of three members expire shall by lot:   

(1)     eliminate two positions if the next succeeding election is one at which the terms of two members expire;   

(2)     eliminate two positions if the next succeeding election is one at which the term of one member expires, and at the next election at which the terms of three members expire designate one position for a two-year term; provided that thereafter all terms shall be six-year terms; or   

(3)     eliminate two positions if the next succeeding election is one at which the terms of three members expire and at the succeeding election designate one position for a two-year term, provided that thereafter all terms shall be six-year terms.   

C.     Any resolution adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be effective thirty days after its adoption unless a petition signed by the qualified electors of the school district in a number equal to at least twenty percent of all voters in the district voting at the last regular school board election is presented to the local school board on or before the thirtieth day asking that an election be held on the question of decreasing the membership of the local board to five members.   

D.     Upon receipt and verification of the petition, the local school board shall within thirty days call a special school election to vote upon the question of decreasing the membership of the local school board in that district to five members.   

E.     If the voters of the school district approve the decrease in the local school board's membership to five members, the resolution shall be in effect and the elimination of two members at subsequent elections as provided in Subsection B of this section shall be valid.