If death or withdrawal of a candidate or candidates at any time prior to forty–eight hours preceding the opening of the polls in any school district election occasions that there is no contest on the ballot, that ballot need not be voted and if it constitutes the only ballot to be voted upon, then the election may be canceled by the officer responsible for its conduct and the unopposed candidate issued certificate of election as though duly elected.

Source: SL 1971, ch 95.