ARTICLE 1. Qualification and Tenure [21100. - 21104.]

Cal. Water Code - WAT 1.

in effect

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21100. Section 21100.

(a) Each director, except as otherwise provided in this division, shall be a voter and a landowner in the district and a resident of the division that he or she represents at the time of his or her nomination or appointment and through his or her entire term, except in the case of the director elected at a formation election. A director elected at a formation election shall be a resident, landowner, and voter in the proposed district at the time of his or her nomination and a resident of the division that he or she represents during his or her entire term. (b) In any district having no more than 15 landowners who are voters in the district, a person need not be a voter but shall be qualified to be a director of the district if he or she is a landowner of the district at the time of his or her nomination or appointment and during his or her entire term. (c) In a district providing retail electricity for residents of the district, each director, except as otherwise provided in this division, shall be a voter of the district and a resident of the division that he or she represents at the time of his or her nomination or appointment and during his or her entire term, except in the case of a director elected at a formation election. A director elected at a formation election shall be a resident in the proposed district at the time of his or her nomination and a resident of the division that he or she represents during his or her entire term. (d) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 21100, except as provided in paragraph (2), for the purpose of meeting the requirements of that subdivision, a person need not be a landowner within the district to be qualified to be a director of the district if either of the following applies: (A) The person serves or seeks to serve on the board of directors of a district without divisions and the district is required to submit an urban water management plan pursuant to the Urban Water Management Planning Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 10610) of Division 6). (B) The person serves or seeks to serve on the board of directors of a district with divisions, the district is required to submit an urban water management plan pursuant to the Urban Water Management Planning Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 10610) of Division 6), and the district, within the division that the person represents or seeks to represent, supplies water as a public water system subject to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 116270) of Part 12 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code. (2) A director appointed or elected before January 1, 2007, shall be subject to the qualification requirements imposed by subdivision (a) until the expiration of his or her term.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21100.2. Section 21100.2.

(a) This section applies to the Pixley Irrigation District. (b) Notwithstanding Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person who meets only the landownership requirement of Section 21100 to be a director of the district. (c) Notwithstanding the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b), the registered voters in the district may request, in writing, that all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request be required to meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. The request shall be submitted to the directors. (d) If the directors determine that at least 25 percent of the registered voters in the district have signed the request submitted pursuant to subdivision (c), all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request shall meet all of the requirements of Section 21100.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21100.3. Section 21100.3.

(a) This section only applies to the Tulelake Irrigation District. For the purpose of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Corporation” means any legal entity, public or private, properly organized under the laws of the state in which it was created, that is allowed to own real property in California. (2) “District” means the Tulelake Irrigation District, originally formed as Tule Lake Irrigation District. (3) “Legal representative” means the person authorized to act for purposes of this section for or on behalf of a corporation, estate, or trust holding title to land within the district. (4) “Residency area” means land within the district or land within one mile of any district boundary. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person to be a director if the person, at the time of his or her nomination or appointment and through his or her entire term, meets all of the following requirements: (1) Is a registered voter in California. (2) Resides within the residency area. (3) Is an owner of real property within the division he or she represents or the owner’s legal representative. (c) Notwithstanding the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b), the registered voters in the district may request, in writing, that all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request be required to meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. The request shall be submitted to the board of directors. (d) If the board of directors determines that at least 25 percent of the registered voters in the district have signed the request submitted pursuant to subdivision (c), all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request shall meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. (e) Before a legal representative may declare his or her candidacy or be appointed to serve as a director under this section, he or she shall present to the district a copy of his or her authority that shall be kept and filed with the returns of the election or the certificate of appointment.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21100.4. Section 21100.4.

(a) This section applies to the Hills Valley Irrigation District. (b) Notwithstanding Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person who meets only the landownership requirement of Section 21100 to be a director of the district. (c) Notwithstanding the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b), the registered voters in the district may request, in writing, that all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request be required to meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. The request shall be submitted to the directors. (d) If the directors determine that at least 25 percent of the registered voters in the district have signed the request submitted pursuant to subdivision (c), all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request shall meet all of the requirements of Section 21100.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21100.5. Section 21100.5.

(a) This section applies to the Stratford Irrigation District. (b) Notwithstanding Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person who meets the landownership requirement of Section 21100 and resides in Kings County to be a director of the district. (c) Notwithstanding the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b), the registered voters in the district may request, in writing, that all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request be required to meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. The request shall be submitted to the directors. (d) If the directors determine that at least 25 percent of the registered voters in the district have signed the request submitted pursuant to subdivision (c), all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request shall meet all of the requirements of Section 21100.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21100.6. Section 21100.6.

(a) This section applies to the Byron-Bethany Irrigation District. (b) (1) Notwithstanding Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person who meets the landownership requirement of Section 21100 and resides in the County of Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Joaquin to be a director of the district. (2) Notwithstanding the adoption of a resolution pursuant to paragraph (1), the registered voters in the district may request, in writing, that all of the directors who are elected subsequent to the receipt of the request be required to meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. The request shall be submitted to the directors. (3) If the directors determine that at least 25 percent of the registered voters in the district have signed the request submitted pursuant to paragraph (2), all of the directors who are elected subsequent to the receipt of the request shall meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. (c) Notwithstanding Sections 21552, 21553, and 21554, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that requires the election of directors by division. The proposed division boundaries shall be made available upon request and at the public hearing described in subdivision (d). Division boundaries shall be established pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 21605) of Chapter 1 of Part 4. (d) (1) Before considering the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c), the board of directors shall provide at least 45 days’ notice of the public hearing at which the board proposes to act on the resolution. The notice of the public hearing shall be given by placing a display advertisement of at least one-eighth page in a newspaper of general circulation for three weeks pursuant to Section 6063 of the Government Code and by first-class mailing to each voter, postage prepaid, in the United States mail and shall be deemed given when so deposited. The public hearing shall be held at least 45 days after the mailing pursuant to this subdivision. The envelope or the cover of the mailing shall include the name of the local agency and the return address of the sender. This mailed notice shall be in at least 10-point type and be given to all registered voters in the district. (2) The notice required by paragraph (1) shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (A) A statement that the board of directors will consider a resolution authorizing a person who only meets the landownership requirement of Section 21100 to be a director of the district, or a statement that the board of directors will consider a resolution that requires the election of directors by division. (B) The address to which registered voters may mail a protest against the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c). (C) The phone number and address of an individual that interested persons may contact to receive additional information about the resolution. (D) A statement that a protest by 10 percent of the registered voters will prevent the adoption of the resolution by the board of directors and that the board of directors are prohibited from considering the adoption of such a resolution for at least four years. (E) The date, time, and location of the public hearing. (e) (1) Prior to the public hearing, any voter may submit to the board of directors a written protest against the adoption of a proposed resolution pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c). The protest shall be in writing and shall identify the registered voter. (2) If the board of directors finds that the protest made by the registered voters in the district represents more than 10 percent of the total number of registered voters in the district, and the protests are not withdrawn so as to reduce the percentage to less than 10 percent, the board of directors shall not adopt the resolution and shall not consider the adoption of such a resolution for at least four years. (f) A resolution shall not be adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c) less than 180 days before a general district election.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21100.7. Section 21100.7.

The landownership requirements set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 21100 do not apply to the South Bay Irrigation District.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21100.8. Section 21100.8.

(a) This section only applies to the South Fork Irrigation District. For the purpose of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Corporation” means any legal entity, public or private, properly organized under the laws of the state in which it was created, that is allowed to own real property in California. (2) “District” means the South Fork Irrigation District. (3) “Legal representative” means the person authorized to act for purposes of this section for or on behalf of a corporation, estate, or trust holding title to land within the district. (4) “Residency area” means land within the district or land within five miles of any district boundary. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person to be a director if the person, at the time of the person’s nomination or appointment and through the person’s entire term, meets all of the following requirements: (1) Is a registered voter in California. (2) Resides within the residency area. (3) Is an owner of real property within the division the person represents or the owner’s legal representative. (c) Notwithstanding the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b), the registered voters in the district may request, in writing, that all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request be required to meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. The request shall be submitted to the board of directors. (d) If the board of directors determines that at least 25 percent of the registered voters in the district have signed the request submitted pursuant to subdivision (c), all of the directors who are appointed or elected subsequent to the receipt of the request shall meet all of the requirements of Section 21100. (e) Before a legal representative may declare the legal representative’s candidacy or be appointed to serve as a director under this section, the person shall present to the district a copy of that person’s authority that shall be kept and filed with the returns of the election or the certificate of appointment.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21101. Section 21101.

Notwithstanding Sections 10505 and 10554 of the Elections Code, elective officers, irrespective of the method of their selection, take office as soon as they qualify, except that officers elected at a general district election take office at noon on the first Friday in December next following the general district election.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21102. Section 21102.

Prior to the first Friday in December next following the general district election each elective officer shall take and subscribe the official oath and file it in the office of the district and execute the bond required of him or her.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 21104. Section 21104.

The term of office of each elective officer subsequent to the officers elected at the formation election is four years or until his successor qualifies and takes office.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026