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<br />nOHP;:; <br /> <br />coofronting districts today and is representative of its constituency? The following discussion <br /> <br /> <br />focuses on these questions. But the central issue here is what potential changes are needed to . <br /> <br /> <br />affect a board's performance so that it is better qualified to address the evolving roles of <br /> <br /> <br />irrigation districts and is more representative of its current constituency. <br /> <br />Appointed Boards vs. Elected Boards <br /> <br />Democratic election procedures have traditionally been employed in most irrigation <br /> <br />districts (i.e, one vote per acre owned, or one vote for every $100 assessed valuation, or one <br /> <br />person - one vote). But the process has not resulted in the election of a truly representative <br /> <br />board in most districts, Voter turnout has been lower than turnout in other types of elections, <br /> <br />and many electioD5 are uncontested. <br /> <br />The 1982 Reclamation Reform Act removed residency requirements, All property <br /> <br />owners within the district are now eligible to vote for board members, yet few are doing so, It <br /> <br />may be at leaSt in part due to lack of Controversy and thus lack of interest Maybe future <br /> <br /> <br />controversies will mobilize eligible voters to participate in the election process, <br /> <br />E/fecJiveness of yl""';,,., syston <br /> <br />Is the current selection system producing board members who can work together and <br /> <br />get things accomplished. In New Mexico there is the example of a board that had discharged <br /> <br /> <br />every manager after a very short time of employment But is a board's degree of deference to <br /> <br />management a good metric for its effectiveness? Another variable, that. should be considered <br /> <br /> <br />37 <br />