County boards of education: elections: consolidation.

Senator Umberg's proposal to consolidate county board of education elections with statewide general elections marks a shift in California's educational governance calendar, requiring all county board elections to align with the state's general election schedule beginning January 2026.

The legislation establishes new timing requirements for county board elections while preserving local control over implementation details. County committees on school district organization retain authority to determine term staggering arrangements, and county boards continue to administer their elections except when coinciding with school district governing board elections. The bill extends current board members' terms as needed to facilitate the transition to the new schedule.

To implement these changes, the measure outlines specific procedures for election consolidation. County boards must organize annually by selecting a president during their first meeting on or after the second Friday in December. The board of supervisors must review consolidation requests within 60 days, considering factors such as ballot capacity and voting equipment capabilities. Following approval, elections officials must notify registered voters in affected districts by mail at district expense. The bill provides for state reimbursement of mandated local costs as determined by the Commission on State Mandates.