Colorado Revised Statutes Title 23. Postsecondary Education § 23-71-110. Election of board--members and terms

(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 Laws 1992, H.B.92-1333, § 55, eff. 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.