Elections and Terms of California Harbor Commissioners

Division 8, Part 3, Chapter 2, Article 1 deals with the election and terms of harbor commissions.

Section 6050 requires each district formed to be governed by a board of five harbor commissioners, who holds office for the term of four years from 12 o’clock noon on the first Monday after the first day of January succeeding their election, and until their successors are elected and qualified.

Section 6051 specifies that the first board is to be elected at the election for the formation of the district, and the two candidates for commissioner receiving the highest number of votes hold office until the expiration of four years.

Section 6052 requires an election for harbor commissioners within each district on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November of each even-numbered year.

Section 6053 requires a candidate for harbor commissioner to be a registered voter of the proposed or existing district, and qualify for election by securing a nomination paper proposing his or her candidacy for the office of harbor commissioner signed by not less than 25 but not more than 50 qualified electors of the district.

Section 6054 allows any qualified voter in the proposed or existing district to sign as many nomination papers as there are commissioners to be elected.

Section 6054.1 specifies that, if on the 60th day prior to a general district election only one person has been nominated for each of the offices to be filled at that election or no person has been nominated for any such office or offices, and a petition signed by 5% of the voters requesting that the election be held has not been presented to the district board, an election is not to be held.

Section 6054.2 provides that, if no election is held, the board of supervisors of the county in which the district is situated is required to appoint those nominated for the offices or, if no person has been nominated, appoint any qualified person to the office.

Section 6054.3 states that, where the office of a commissioner becomes vacant during their term the vacancy is to be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by appointment by the majority of remaining commissioners.

Section 6055 requires the commissioners be elected at the first election, within 10 days from the date of the canvass of the returns of the election, to enter upon the duties of office. Each commissioner is required to take the official oath before the secretary or an officer authorized by law to administer oaths.

Section 6056 requires, upon each commissioner upon taking the oath of office, and for each term, the filing with the county elections official of the county in which the district is situated, a bond of $5,000, made payable to the district and conditioned on the faithful performance of his or her duties. Also, the bonds are subject to approval by the board of supervisors of the county.