70 ILCS 3715/5.1

(70 ILCS 3715/5.1) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 227.1)

Sec. 5.1.

Any water authority organized under this Act may determine, in
the manner provided in this Section, to have an elected, rather than an
appointed, board of trustees.

Upon presentation to the board of trustees of a petition, signed by not
less than 10% of the electors of the authority, requesting that a proposition
for the election of trustees be submitted to the electors of the authority,
the secretary of the board of trustees shall certify the question to the
appropriate election authorities who shall submit the question at an election
in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall be in
substantially the following form:

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    Shall the trustees of........       YES
Water Authority be elected,       ----------------------------
rather than appointed?                  NO
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If a majority of the votes cast on such proposition are in the affirmative,
the trustees of the authority shall thereafter be elected as provided by this Section.

At the first ensuing election for trustees of water
authorities as provided by the general election law, 3 trustees shall be
elected. The 3 trustees so elected shall serve for terms of 2, 4 and 6 years,
respectively, commencing on the first day of the month following the month
of their election and until their respective successors
are elected and
qualified. The length of the terms of the trustees first elected shall be
determined by lot at their first meeting. Thereafter one trustee shall be
elected at the election provided by the general election law for a term
of 6 years commencing on the first Monday of the month following the month
of his election and until his successor is elected and qualified.

Nominations of candidates for trustee shall be made in the manner provided
for independent candidates by the general election law.  No party designation
shall appear on such ballot. The provisions of the general election law
shall apply to and govern the nomination and election of trustees.

The provisions of this Act relating to eligibility, powers and disabilities
of trustees shall apply equally to elected trustees.

Whenever a water authority determines to elect trustees as provided in
this Section, the trustees appointed pursuant to Section 3 shall continue
to constitute the board of trustees until the first Monday of the month
following the month of the first election of trustees. If the term of office
of any appointed trustees expires before the first election and qualification
of trustees, the appointing authority shall
appoint a successor to serve until the elected successor takes office. The
terms of all appointed trustees in such district shall expire on the first
Monday of the month
following the month of the first election of trustees under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 81-1490.)