School Districts Changing Elections From Odd To Even Years

Sonora, CA — In an effort to reduce the costs on a school district to hold an election, many Tuolumne County schools are in the process of moving board elections from odd numbered years to even to coordinate with the statewide general elections.

Tuolumne County Clerk and Auditor-Controller Debi Russell brought the idea up to the various district superintendents at a meeting in November.

“In even numbered years there are more jurisdictions that can share the costs of holding an election,” says Russell. “The jurisdictions using the odd numbered years are getting smaller and smaller, therefore the cost of having an election is not shared among as many districts, so their costs are going up.”

Two years ago both T.U.D. and the Jamestown Sanitary District made the switch in order to cut expenses.

The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors will be asked to approve resolutions from a number of school districts next Tuesday that have decided to make the transition. Other remaining districts are expected to discuss the idea at upcoming meetings. One area that has prompted some debate is that the change would extend the terms of some elected seats by a year during the one-time switch.

Written by BJ Hansen