(1) The election shall be conducted, as nearly as practicable, in accordance with the general election laws of the state, except that the provisions of the election laws as to the form of ballot and as to the nomination of candidates shall not apply. No particular form of ballot shall be required. An absent elector may obtain a ballot and vote, as nearly as practicable, in the manner provided for absent electors in ORS Chapter 253.

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(2)(a) Nominations for candidates for the board of directors may be made by petition, signed by at least 10 electors in the proposed district or division who are qualified to vote for the directors nominated by them. Nominations may also be made at an assembly of not less than 25 electors.

(b) Not more than one of the electors of a multiple ownership as described in ORS § 545.007 (1)(a) may sign a nominating petition or vote at an assembly. Nominations by petition or by assembly shall be filed with the county assessor before they are filed with the county clerk under this subsection. If a nomination is made at an assembly, the nomination shall be filed under this paragraph with a list of the names and addresses of the electors who voted at the assembly. The county assessor shall verify that not more than one of the electors of a multiple ownership as described in ORS § 545.007 (1)(a) has signed a nominating petition or voted at an assembly. The county assessor shall provide written confirmation of the assessor’s verification to the person filing the nomination.

(c) Nominations by petition or by assembly shall be filed with the county clerk at least 35 days next preceding the date of election. The nomination shall be accompanied by a copy of the written confirmation of verification provided by the county assessor under this subsection.

(d) The county clerk shall have the names of all persons nominated placed on the ballots as candidates for the offices for which they have been nominated. The ballots shall have a blank line under the printed names, on which may be written the name of any candidate voted for.

(3) A nominating petition shall contain:

(a) The name by which a candidate is commonly known. The candidate may use a nickname in parentheses in connection with the candidate’s full name;

(b) The address information of the candidate;

(c) The office for which the candidate seeks nomination;

(d) The term of office for which the candidate seeks nomination;

(e) A statement that the candidate is qualified for the office;

(f) A statement that the candidate is willing to accept the nomination and, if elected, the office;

(g) The signature of the candidate;

(h) The printed name and address of each elector who signed the petition; and

(i) A statement by the circulator of the petition that the circulator is personally acquainted with the electors who signed the petition and affirms that the signatures are genuine.

(4) If an elector is not shown as an owner of land on the last equalized assessment roll or is not shown as having authority to vote on behalf of an owner of land, the elector shall furnish the county clerk with written evidence, satisfactory to the county clerk, that the elector:

(a) Is a legal representative of the owner;

(b) Is entitled to be shown as the owner of land on the next assessment roll;

(c) Is a purchaser of land under a written agreement of sale; or

(d) Is authorized to sign for and on behalf of any public agency owning land.

(5) The county court shall meet on the first Monday that is at least 10 days after the election, canvass the votes cast, and enter an order declaring the result of the election. If upon the canvass it appears that at least three-fifths of the votes cast are ‘Irrigation District ‘ Yes,’ the court shall, by an order entered on its minutes, declare the territory organized as an irrigation district under the name designated by the county court under ORS § 545.033 (1), and shall declare the persons receiving, respectively, the highest number of votes for the several available director positions to be elected to those positions. The court shall cause a copy of the order, duly certified, to be immediately filed for record in the office of the county clerk of each county in which any portion of the district is situated.

(6) After the date of organization of an irrigation district, the county court of any county including any portion of the district shall not allow another district to be formed that includes any lands in the existing district, without first securing consent for the formation from the existing district.

(7) From and after the date of the filing of the order under subsection (1) of this section, the organization of the district is complete, and the directors may enter upon the duties of their offices upon qualifying as provided by law. They shall hold office until their successors are elected and qualified. [Formerly 545.012; 2001 c.257 § 1; 2003 c.94 § 1; 2013 c.520 § 21]