LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeFood and Agricultural CodeDiv. 18Ch. 4Art. 3§ 52874 Board Member Alternate Election

§ 52874 Board Member Alternate Election

Food and Agricultural Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 52874 Board Member Alternate Election

Key Takeaways

  • •Every board member (except special ones) has a backup person called an alternate.
  • •Both the main member and the alternate are chosen in the same election.
  • •The person with the most votes becomes the main member, and the runner-up becomes the alternate.
  • •If there's a tie, the secretary picks the winner by chance (like drawing names from a hat).

Example

Imagine a school board election where two people, Alex and Jamie, are running for one spot. Alex gets 100 votes, and Jamie gets 80 votes.

Alex becomes the main board member because they got the most votes. Jamie becomes the alternate because they got the next highest number of votes. If Alex can't go to a meeting, Jamie steps in.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 52874 Board Member Alternate Election

Each member of the board, except the ex officio members, shall have an alternate member, who shall be a candidate for election in the same manner as the member. The candidate receiving the greatest number of votes in the election for the vacant position shall be the member. The candidate with the next highest number of votes in the election for the vacant position shall be the alternate. In the event of a tie vote in electing members or alternates, the secretary, by lot, shall determine the member and alternate. (Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 136, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1996. Conditionally inoperative on January 1, 2014, as prescribed in Section 52991.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

alternate.electionsecretaryposition

Related Statutes

  • § 52872 Grower Voting Eligibility List
  • § 52873 Cotton Board Election Rules
  • § 52875 Alternate Board Member Rights
  • § 66568 Handler Election Rules
  • § 66580 Handler Vacancy Appointment Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 52874.
View Official Source