Montana Code Annotated
Part 3. School District Trustees
20-3-302. Legislative intent to elect less than majority of trustees

20-3-302. Legislative intent to elect less than majority of trustees. (1) It is the intention of the legislature that the terms of a majority of the trustee positions of any district with elected trustees may not regularly expire and be subject to election on the same regular school election day. In elementary districts, there may not be more than three trustee positions in first-class districts, two trustee positions in second-class districts or third-class districts having five trustee positions, or one trustee position in third-class districts having three trustee positions regularly subject to election at the same time. In high school districts there may not be more than two additional trustee positions in first- or second-class districts or more than one in third-class districts regularly subject to election at the same time. In county high school districts, there may not be more than two trustee positions to be filled by members residing in the elementary district where the county high school building is located or more than one trustee position to be filled by members residing outside of the elementary district where the county high school building is located subject to election at the same time.
(2) In the following circumstances relating to newly created trustee positions, the initial terms may be shortened to comply with the intent of subsection (1):
(a) the consolidation under the provisions of 20-6-423 of two or more elementary districts to form an elementary district, of two or more high school districts to form a high school district, or of two or more K-12 districts to form a K-12 district;
(b) the establishment of additional trustee positions of a high school district under the provisions of 20-3-353 or 20-3-354 or new trustee positions under the provisions of 20-3-352(3);
(c) the change of a district's classification under the provisions of 20-6-201 or 20-6-301;
(d) the establishment of additional elementary trustee positions under the provisions of 20-3-341(3); or
(e) the establishment of additional high school trustee positions under the provisions of 20-6-313.
(3) If the change of a district's classification under 20-6-201 or 20-6-301 decreases the number of trustee positions, the positions must be eliminated in a manner that complies with the intent of subsection (1).
(4) Although the legislature intends that the terms of a majority of trustees of any district may not regularly expire and be subject to election at the same time, it is recognized that filling a vacancy under 20-3-308 may lead to a subsequent school election in which a majority of trustee positions are subject to election at the same time.
History: En. 75-5907 by Sec. 36, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 103, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 122, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 75-5907; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 528, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 137, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 219, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 510, L. 2005.

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