(a)
(1) Qualified electors of a school district may, by petition, have placed on the ballot of any annual school election the issue to determine whether to elect the school district board of directors from single-member zones.
(2) The petitions calling for such an issue to be placed on the ballot shall be signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors of the school district, based upon the total number of registered voters in the school district.
(3) The petitions may be circulated between ninety (90) days and forty-five (45) days before the election date.
(4) The petitions shall be filed with the county election commission of the county in which the largest portion of the school district lies.
(b)
(1) Within ten (10) days of the receipt and verification of the sufficiency of the petitions, the county election commission shall notify the board of directors of the affected school district that the issue shall be placed on the ballot of the next school election.
(2) The county election commission shall specify the wording of the ballot to be used to determine whether to elect the school district board of directors from single-member zones.
(c) If a majority of the qualified electors of the school district shall vote for the election of the school district board of directors from single-member zones, the county election commission of the county in which the largest portion of the school district lies shall establish, within the school district, boundaries for the election of directors of the board of directors which shall have substantially equal population based on the most recent available census information and from which racial minorities may be represented on the board of directors in proportions reflected in the school district population as a whole.
(d) The members of the board of directors of the school district shall be elected for a three-year term. Provided, any member of the board of directors shall hold office until his or her successor has been elected and qualified. A member of the board of directors who is qualified to serve the zone he or she represents may succeed himself or herself.
(e)
(1) Following the election, the new school district board of directors at their initial meeting shall, by lot, establish their initial terms so that an equal number of positions are filled each year and not more than three (3) members' terms expire each year.
(2) The regular term of office for the school district board of directors elected after the initial election following the decision to elect from single-member zones shall be the same as the term of the school district board of directors of the school district before the change in the method of election of the school district board of directors.