Sec. 15-70. - School board; generally.

The school board shall consist of seven (7) members. One (1) member shall be elected at large by all the voters of the City of Newport News and shall represent all areas of the city. The remaining six (6) members shall be elected by Election Districts. Two (2) members shall be elected by the voters of each respective election district that they represent as hereinafter provided.

(Ord. No. 4875-96, § 1)

Sec. 15-71. - Election and terms of members of the school board.

There shall be a general election of the school board on the first Tuesday in May, 1994, or as soon thereafter as may be permitted or provided by law, at which time there shall be elected four (4) members. Those four (4) members shall be elected by the qualified voters of the various election districts as follows: one (1) each from Election District One, Election District Two and Election District Three, and one (1) from the city at large. Only those qualified voters residing in each election district shall be eligible to vote for the school board member representing that specific election district, and each qualified voter of the city shall be eligible to vote for the candidate for the at-large position. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes, in each individual election district, or in the city for the at-large position, as the case may be, shall be declared elected and shall serve four (4) years.

The four (4) members so elected shall take office on July 1, 1994, or as soon thereafter as is permitted. The remaining three (3) members of the school board who have been previously and legally appointed to the board by the city council shall continue to serve as members of the school board until June 30, 1996, or until such time as their successors have been duly elected.

There shall be a general election for the school board on the first Tuesday in May, 1996, at which time there shall be elected three (3) members. These three (3) members shall be elected by the qualified voters of the various election districts as follows: one (1) each from Election District One, Election District Two and Election District Three. Only those qualified voters residing in each election district shall be eligible to vote for candidates for the school board representing that specific election district. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes in each individual election district shall be declared elected and shall serve four (4) years. The three (3) members so elected shall take office on July 1, 1996. Thereafter there shall be a general election held on the first Tuesday of May prior to the expiration of each member's four-year term, and in the same manner as provided above, with candidates receiving the highest number of votes in each respective election district, or at large, as the case may be, being declared elected and with terms of school board members elected at such elections beginning July 1, following their election and continuing four (4) years.

The school board shall be a continuing body and no measure pending before it shall abate or be discontinued by reason of the expiration of the term of office or the removal of the members of the body or any of them.

(Ord. No. 4875-96, § 1)

Sec. 15-72. - Nomination of candidates for members of the school board.

Candidates for members of the school board shall be qualified voters of the city and residents of the election district for which they seek office. Candidates shall file their notice of candidacy and be nominated only by petition in the manner prescribed by law for non-party candidates and not by caucus, primary, convention or other party affiliated proceeding.

(Ord. No. 4875-96, § 1)

Sec. 15-73. - Party designation and ballots in school board elections.

The ballot used in the election of members of the school board shall be without any distinguishing party name, mark, or symbol.

(Ord. No. 4875-96, § 1)

Sec. 15-74. - Selection of chairperson.

The chairperson of the elected school board shall be selected by the members of the school board from the members of the school board.

(Ord. No. 4875-96, § 1)