Cal. Water Code § 35205

In order to facilitate an orderly transition to resident voter elections and to preserve staggered terms, the terms of office of directors serving on January 1, 1981, shall remain unchanged and no provision of this chapter shall be construed to disqualify any director serving on that date from continuing in office; provided, that any person appointed to fill a vacancy on the board of directors shall be a qualified voter of the district as provided in Section 35202.