Section 73-20-37 - District supervisors; election and appointment; new districts. - New Mexico Statutes

73-20-37. District supervisors; election and appointment; new districts.

A.     The governing body of a district shall be composed of five supervisors who shall be residents of the district and shall be elected; provided, however, two additional supervisors may be appointed to the governing body of each district by the commission in accordance with the provisions of the Soil and Water Conservation District Act [73-20-25 NMSA 1978]. Four elected supervisor positions of each district shall be filled by landowners within the defined geographical area of their district. One elected supervisor position shall be designated supervisor-at-large and the supervisor filling that position may serve the district without landowner qualification.   

B.     Unless a different time is prescribed by the commission, within thirty days following the issuance of a certificate of organization to the two interim supervisors of a district, declarations of candidacy for supervisors of the district may be filed with the commission. The commission shall give due notice of election for the offices of five district supervisors. All registered voters residing within the district shall be eligible to vote. The commission shall adopt and prescribe regulations governing the conduct of the election, shall determine voter eligibility and shall supervise the election and publish its results. The districts shall bear the expenses of elections; however, the commission shall bear the expenses of the first election of a newly organized district.   

C.     In the first election of supervisors to serve a newly organized district, two supervisors shall be elected for terms of four years and three supervisors shall be elected for terms of two years. Thereafter, each elected supervisor shall serve a term of four years and shall continue in office until his successor has been elected or appointed and has completed an oath of office. Oaths of office may not be completed prior to July 1 after an election. A vacant unexpired term of the office of an elected supervisor shall be filled by appointment by the remaining supervisors of the district. Two or more vacant unexpired terms occurring simultaneously in the same district shall be filled by appointment by the commission.   

D.     Appointed interim supervisors may continue to serve as appointed supervisors at the pleasure of the commission or until their successors are otherwise appointed.