The election for acequia or community ditch officers, under this article, shall, be held by the outgoing commissioners, under written rules and regulations to be prescribed by them. Only those having water rights in the acequia or ditch, and who are not delinquent in the payment of their assessments shall be allowed to vote, but votes may be cast by written proxy. All votes shall be in proportion to the interest of the voter in the ditch or water, or in proportion to the number or amount of his water rights, which for election purposes, shall never exceed the lands under irrigation the outgoing year. They shall canvass the votes cast and shall record and publicly announce the result of the election within twenty-four hours after the close of the same. Contests, if any, shall be commenced and conducted as provided by law in the case of general elections for county officers, but the notice of contest shall be filed within fifteen days after the result of the election is announced as herein required.