2-224. County fair board; membership.

(1) If the membership of the county fair board to be established under sections 2-221 to 2-231 is to be appointed, the county board shall appoint from the residents of the county a county fair board, consisting of nine members who shall in the first instance be appointed as follows: Three for a term of one year, three for a term of two years, and three for a term of three years. Thereafter there shall be appointed each year three members for a term of three years. Vacancies occurring upon such board shall be filled by the county board. No person while a member of the county board shall be a member of the county fair board, nor shall more than two members of the county fair board be residents of the same township, precinct, or incorporated city or village at the time of appointment. An appointed county fair board is a division of the county.

(2)(a) If the membership of the county fair board to be established under sections 2-221 to 2-231 is to be elected, the procedures of this subsection shall be followed.

(b) The county board shall by resolution provide for the election of a nine-member county fair board at a public meeting. The resolution shall designate a time and place for the meeting and shall provide for a notice of the meeting to be published twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, the last publication to appear at least five days prior to the meeting. The notice shall be addressed to all registered voters of the county. The registered voters present at the meeting shall elect by majority vote persons who reside in the county as members of the county fair board. The election commissioner or county clerk shall administer the initial election.

(c) At the first meeting of the county fair board, the member receiving the highest number of votes shall preside until officers have been selected as provided in section 2-225. The three persons receiving the highest number of votes shall serve for terms of three years. The three persons receiving the next highest number of votes shall serve for terms of two years. The three persons receiving the next highest number of votes shall serve for terms of one year. As the terms expire, their successors shall be elected for three-year terms at an annual meeting of the registered voters of the county held for that purpose and shall hold office until their successors have been elected.

(d) The county fair board may increase its membership by up to six additional members after the initial election and organization by adoption of a resolution stating the number of additional members and designating the applicable election cycles. The new members shall be elected for three-year terms beginning as provided in the resolution.

(e) If any person offering to vote at any meeting is challenged as unqualified by any voter of such county, the person administering the election or presiding at the meeting shall explain to the person challenged the qualifications of a registered voter. If such person states that he or she is qualified and the challenge is not withdrawn, the person shall take an oath, reduced to writing, in substance as follows: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States, that I am of the constitutionally prescribed age of an elector or upwards, that I am domiciled in this county, and that I am registered to vote in this county, so help me God." Every person taking such oath and signing his or her name to it shall be permitted to vote on all questions proposed at the meeting.

(f) Notice of the annual meeting shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, such publication to appear at least five days prior to the meeting. A vacancy occurring due to resignation, death, or removal of a member because of malfeasance or nonfeasance shall be elected by the remaining board members for the unexpired term.

(g) An elected county fair board constitutes a body politic and corporate and is a political subdivision of the state.

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