§ 23-71-110 — Election of board - members and terms

Colorado § 23-71-110

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 23: Postsecondary Education
• Art.: Local District Colleges

Text

(1) Each public local
college district established under the provisions of this part 1 must have a board of
control, known as the board of trustees, consisting of five, seven, nine, or eleven
members elected at public elections for staggered terms of four years each. The
first board of trustees is elected in the manner provided in section 23-71-111.
Thereafter, regular elections of board members are held in accordance with
subsection (2) of this section.

(2) The regular election of the members of a board of trustees shall be held
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd-numbered years, as
provided by law for regular biennial school elections in school districts. Special
elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in February, May,
September, or December.

(3) The board of trustees of each local college district shall determine
whether the board of trustees consists of five, seven, nine, or eleven members. A
board of trustees may increase the number of board members only as provided in
subsection (8) of this section. The board of trustees of each local college district
shall determine the number of vacancies existing and the length of term of each
vacancy for the next and subsequent regular elections for board members. Except
for the election of members who were appointed pursuant to subsection (8) of this
section and section 23-71-121, the board of trustees shall ensure that there are no
more than three vacancies at any regular election for a five-member board, no more
than four vacancies at any regular election for a seven-member board, no more than
five vacancies at any regular election for a nine-member board, and no more than
six vacancies at any regular election for an eleven-member board and that each
board member has a term of four years.

(4) A board of trustees may establish board member districts for its local
college district if it determines that board member districts are in the best interests
of the local college district. The board member districts must be established on the
basis of nearly equal population or on the basis of geography and population if the
local college district consists of more than one county. A nine-member board of
trustees with board member districts may designate one or two of its board
member districts as at-large districts that include the entire area of the local
college district. An eleven-member board of trustees with board member districts
may designate up to three of its board member districts as at-large districts that
include the entire area of the local college district.

(5) Members of a board of trustees shall be elected at the regular biennial
school election of school districts within the local college district. Any person
desiring to be a candidate for the office of trustee shall file a petition for
nomination pursuant to section 1-4-803 and part 9 of article 4 of title 1, C.R.S. The
election shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of articles 1 to 13 of title 1,
C.R.S. The secretary of the board of trustees shall be the designated election
official responsible for the election.

(6) (Deleted by amendment, L. 92, p. 851, � 55, effective January 1, 1993.)

(7) The cost of the election of members of the board of trustees as provided
in this section shall be paid by the local college district in which the elections are
conducted, or, in the event of a coordinated election, the costs shall be allocated
pursuant to sections 1-5-506 and 1-5-507, C.R.S.

(8) A local college district that has a five-member board of trustees may
increase the board membership to seven members at any time by the appointment
of two new members. A local college district that has a seven-member board of
trustees may increase the board members to nine or eleven members by the
appointment of new members. A local college district that has a nine-member
board of trustees may increase the board membership to eleven members at any
time by the appointment of two new members.

Legislative History

Source: L. 75: Entire article added, p. 751, � 1, effective July 1. L. 84: Entire section amended, p. 646, � 1, effective July 1. L. 86: (1) to (3) amended and (8) added, p. 848, � 12, effective July 1. L. 92: (2) and (5) to (7) amended, p. 851, � 55, effective January 1, 1993. L. 93: (7) amended, p. 1437, � 130, effective July 1. L. 2016: (1), (3), and (8) amended, (HB 16-1259), ch. 123, p. 347, � 2, effective April 21. L. 2024: (3), (4), and (8) amended, (HB 24-1131), ch. 65, p. 216, � 1, effective August 7.