(1) A regular election shall be held in each soil and water conservation district on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November in each even-numbered year for the purpose of electing directors to succeed the directors whose terms expire the following January. Nominating petitions of candidates for director to be voted for at a general district election shall be filed with the department no later than a date set by the State Department of Agriculture.

(2) The department may extend the time within which nominating petitions may be filed.

(3) The department may not accept a nominating petition unless the petition is subscribed by 10 or more electors residing within the boundaries of the district.

(4) Electors residing within the boundaries of the district may sign more than one nominating petition to nominate more than one candidate for director.

(5) To the extent of any conflict between ORS Chapter 255 and the provisions of ORS § 568.530, 568.545 and 568.560 and this section, the provisions of ORS § 568.530, 568.545 and 568.560 and this section control. Elections officers, as defined in ORS § 255.005, are not responsible for delivering, preparing or publishing information concerning district elections.

(6) The department shall timely distribute and collect the forms established by the Secretary of State for updating information on members of district boards, including, but not limited to, any forms for information concerning the district offices to be filled or for which candidates are to be nominated or elected, or for information concerning the candidates. The district shall timely prepare and publish notice of the date for filing nominating petitions and the date of the election in a newspaper of general circulation within the district no later than 30 days before the final filing date. The department shall retain the information forms and publication information for not less than four years after the election for which the forms and publication were completed. [Amended by 1973 c.656 § 9; 1981 c.92 § 27; 1983 c.83 § 106b; 1983 c.238 § 2; 2007 c.690 § 1; 2009 c.220 § 23]