Sec. 4. (a) The board consists of seven (7) members. A member:

(1) must be elected on a nonpartisan basis in general elections held in the county as specified in this section; and

(2) serves a four (4) year term.

(b) Five (5) members shall be elected from the school board districts in which the members reside, and two (2) members must be elected at large. Not more than two (2) of the members who serve on the board may reside in the same school board district.

(c) If a candidate runs for one (1) of the district positions on the board, only eligible voters residing in the candidate's district may vote for that candidate. If a person is a candidate for one (1) of the at-large positions, eligible voters from all the districts may vote for that candidate.

(d) If a candidate files to run for a position on the board, the candidate must specify whether the candidate is running for a district or an at-large position.

(e) A candidate who runs for a district or an at-large position wins if the candidate receives the greatest number of votes of all the candidates for the position.

(f) Districts shall be established within the school city by the state board. The districts must be drawn on the basis of precinct lines, and as nearly as practicable, of equal population with the population of the largest district not to exceed the population of the smallest district by more than five percent (5%). District lines must not cross precinct lines. The state board shall establish:

(1) balloting procedures for the election under IC 3; and

(2) other procedures required to implement this section.

(g) A member of the board serves under section 3 of this chapter.

(h) In accordance with subsection (k), a vacancy in the board shall be filled temporarily by the board as soon as practicable after the vacancy occurs. The member chosen by the board to fill a vacancy holds office until the member's successor is elected and qualified. The successor shall be elected at the next regular school board election occurring after the date on which the vacancy occurs. The successor fills the vacancy for the remainder of the term.

(i) An individual elected to serve on the board begins the individual's term on the date set in the school corporation's organization plan. The date set in the organization plan for an elected member of the board to take office may not be more than fourteen (14) months after the date of the member's election. If the school corporation's organization plan does not set a date for a member of the board to take office, the member takes office January 1 immediately following the individual's election.

(j) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, each voter must cast a vote for a school board candidate or school board candidates by voting system or paper ballot. However, the same method used to cast votes for all other offices for which candidates have qualified to be on the election ballot must be used for the board offices.

(k) If a vacancy in the board exists because of the death of a member, the remaining members of the board shall meet and select an individual to fill the vacancy in accordance with subsection (h) after the secretary of the board receives notice of the death under IC 5-8-6.

[Pre-2005 Elementary and Secondary Education Recodification Citation: 20-3-11-3.1.]

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.119-2005, SEC.32; P.L.1-2006, SEC.322; P.L.179-2011, SEC.32; P.L.219-2013, SEC.90.