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HomeElections CodeDiv. 10Pt. 4§ 10500 District Election Definitions

§ 10500 District Election Definitions

Elections Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
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§ 10500 District Election Definitions

This law just tells you what all the special words mean when a district (like a water or fire district) holds an election.

Key Takeaways

  • •It defines who is an "affected county" – the county where the district’s land is.
  • •It explains who a "director" is – a member of the district’s board.
  • •It tells what a "landowner voting district" is – a district where only landowners can vote.
  • •It says what a "resident voting district" is – any district that isn’t limited to landowners.
  • •It defines the "principal act" – the law that created the district.

Example

A small town creates a new fire protection district that will have an election for a board member.

The town looks at this law to know who counts as a "voter" (maybe only landowners), who the "director" is (a board member), and which county is the "principal county" for the election.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 10500 District Election Definitions

(a) This part may be cited as the Uniform District Election Law. (b) As used in this part, the following definitions apply: (1) “Affected county” means a county in which any land of the district or agency is situated. (2) “Director” means a member of the governing body. (3) “District” or “agency” means any district or agency of the type designated by and formed pursuant to the provisions of any principal act that incorporates this part. (4) “Elective office” means any office that may, under the principal act of the district or agency, be filled by way of an election. (5) “Elective officer” means “elective officer” as defined by the principal act of each district or agency or if not defined, any officer of a district or agency holding an office that can be filled by election. (6) “General district election” means an election held pursuant to the provisions of this part. (7) “Governing body” means the board of directors of a district or agency or the board or body which governs the activities of the district or agency. (8) “Landowner voting district” means a district whose principal act requires an elector to be an owner of land located within the district. (9) “Principal act” means the law providing for the creation of a particular district or agency or type of district or agency. (10) “Principal county” means the county in which all the land in the district or agency is situated, or if the district or agency is situated in more than one county, the county in which the greatest portion of the land in the district or agency is situated. (11) “Resident voting district” means any district other than a landowner voting district. (12) “Secretary” means the secretary of the governing body or a person designated by him or her to perform a duty of the secretary. (13) “Supervising authority” means the board of supervisors of the county in which is situated all or most of the land of a district. (14) “Voter” means a voter or elector as respectively defined in the principal act of each district or agency. (Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 221, Sec. 19. Effective January 1, 2003.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

Uniform District Election Lawdistrictelective officegoverning bodyaffected countyprincipal actvoter

Related Statutes

  • § 10514 District Officer Qualifications
  • § 10532 Proxy Voting Rights
  • § 10506 Director Term Adjustments
  • § 10542 Landowner Voting District Ballots
  • § 10544 District Campaign Contribution Limits

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 10500.
View Official Source