Robson

INTRODUCTION

In this case of first impression, we have before us the question of whether an official appointed to the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (District) is required to stand for election to fill the unexpired portion of the four-year term to which he was appointed. After the District, which is a defendant below and the petitioner and appellant herein, determined not to require the appointed official to stand for such election, real party in interest Thelma Jean Robson filed a petition with the trial court to determine the question of whether that official should be required to stand for election in order to be able to serve the balance of the unexpired term. The resolution of the novel issue presented by these consolidated proceedings requires us to determine the proper construction of Government Code section 1780 and particularly subdivision (a) thereof.

On August 3, 2006, the trial court entered an order granting Robson’s petition and requiring the Registrar to prepare for and conduct an election on November 7, 2006, to fill the vacancy on the District’s governing board. The District seeks to prevent that election and has asserted its…