Time of election of board members

(1) All elections for members of boards of education shall be in even numbered years, for a term of four (4) years. Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, the elections shall be held at the regular November election. (2) In each even numbered year, there shall be held an election in every county and independent district to fill the membership of the boards of education for the terms that will expire on the first Monday in January following, and the regularly elected members shall hold office for four (4) years and until their successors are elected and have qualified. (3) Any independent school district embracing a designated city may, at the discretion of its board of education, hold its election of board members at its public school building on the first Saturday in May. The election shall be held by three (3) officers appointed by the board of education and the expenses of the election shall be paid from the treasury of the school district. In all other respects the provisions of this chapter relating to holding elections for board members shall apply. (4) As used in this section, "designated city" means a city classified as a city of the fifth class as of January 1, 2014, under the city classification system in effect prior to January 1, 2015. The Department of Education shall, on or before January 1, 2015, create an official registry listing the cities that qualify as a "designated city" under this section and shall publish that registry on its website.