The Election Coordinator shall distribute candidate nomination packets containing a copy of the Notice of Election, petition form, nomination certification form, and copies of the rules and regulations governing the conduct of Board member elections, to members and participants who request a packet.

Members and participants shall qualify for nomination if they meet the eligibility criteria specified in the Notice of Election. Nomination shall be on the petition form provided by the System, signed by then currently eligible active members and then currently eligible active participants as defined in section 24004. Members and participants may sign more than one petition form. The minimum number of petition signatures required shall be determined by the Board and specified in the Notice of Election.

The candidate shall indicate on the petition form the specific Board member position for which he or she seeks election. An individual candidate may not be a candidate for more than one Board member position during any particular election.

The petition form shall include the signature and legible printed name of each member or participant signing the petition, month and day of birth, and the last 4 digits of his or her Social Security Number. Any signature not accompanied by all of the required information shall be invalidated.

Each candidate shall certify on the nomination certification form provided by the System that he or she accepts the nomination, consents to serve if elected, agrees to comply with the rules and regulations governing the conduct of Board member elections, and abide by a drawing of lots by the Election Coordinator in case of a tied vote.

Only those nomination certification forms and petition forms received in the headquarters office of the System by the deadline specified in the Notice of Election shall be accepted. The candidate must submit the nomination certification form and petition form containing at least the minimum required number of valid signatures in one packet at one time. Completed petition forms and nomination certification forms transmitted via facsimile to the headquarters office of the System by the deadline specified in the Notice of Election shall be accepted if the original completed forms are received in the headquarters office of the System within seven calendar days following the deadline.

The Election Coordinator shall verify the identity and eligibility of individuals who sign candidates' petition forms through sampling or another reasonable and cost-effective method, and shall certify qualified candidates for the Board member election.

The position of candidate names and statements in election materials distributed by the System to eligible voters shall be chosen by lot conducted by the Election Coordinator at the time he or she certifies valid nominating petitions.

The Election Coordinator shall notify qualified candidates of their certification, and the position of their names and statements in election materials distributed by the System. All deadlines and instructions related to the drafting of candidate statements shall be distributed to all qualified candidates in the notification letter. Upon distributing notification letters to qualified candidates, the Election Coordinator shall make public the names of the qualified candidates for the Board member election.

Where only one candidate has been nominated, the Election Coordinator shall, upon verification of the signatures presented in the nominating petition and upon the candidate's certification of his or her nomination acceptance, cancel the remaining election procedures and designate the single candidate to be certified by the Chief Executive Officer as elected.

If no candidate has been nominated in an election, or if no candidate has presented a valid petition form and nomination certification form for an election as required above, the Election Coordinator shall extend the nomination period for an additional 21 calendar days and publicize his or her action to active members and participants and other interested parties.