Each director shall be elected for a term of six years from and after the date of election and, unless removed from office as provided in Section 73-14-59 NMSA 1978, shall serve until a successor is duly elected and has qualified; provided that at the first election, one director shall be elected for a term of two years, two for a term of four years and two for a term of six years, to be determined according to counties if there is land in any district in more than one county, by the board calling the election. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term of the director whose office becomes vacant.
History: 1941 Comp., § 77-2732, enacted by Laws 1943, ch. 126, § 5; 1953 Comp., § 75-28-37; 2018, ch. 79, § 146.
ANNOTATIONSThe 2018 amendment, effective July 1, 2022, removed language unrelated to terms and vacancies of the board of directors; added the section heading; and after "as provided", added "in Section 73-14-59 NMSA 1978", and after "the director whose office becomes vacant.", deleted the remainder of the section, which related to the transfer of functions from an outgoing board of directors to a new board of directors.
Temporary provisions. — Laws 2018, ch. 79, § 173 provided:
A. The term of a conservancy district or watershed district board member that was set to expire on or before June 30, 2024 pursuant to the governing statutes of that district in effect before July 1, 2022 shall expire on December 31, 2023, and that member's successor shall be elected in the local election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2023 for a term beginning on January 1, 2024.
B. The term of a conservancy district or watershed district board member that was set to expire on or after July 1, 2024 but on or before June 30, 2026 pursuant to the governing statutes of that district in effect before July 1, 2022 shall expire on December 31, 2025, and that member's successor shall be elected in the local election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2025 for a term beginning on January 1, 2026.
C. The term of a conservancy district or watershed district board member that was set to expire on or after July 1, 2026 pursuant to the governing statutes of that district in effect before July 1, 2022 shall expire on December 31, 2027, and that member's successor shall be elected in the local election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2027 for a term beginning on January 1, 2028.