1. Length of term. School committee members shall be elected for staggered 3-year terms or, in municipalities with biennial elections, 4-year terms.
2. Commencement of term. The term of newly elected school board members shall start as determined under section 1003.
3. Vacancy. A vacancy on a school committee shall be declared:
A. When the term of office of a member expires;
B. When a member changes residency from the municipality or subdistrict from which elected. Evidence that an individual is registered to vote in a municipality is prima facie evidence of that individual's residency;
C. On the death of a member;
D. When a member resigns; or
E. Except in municipalities having a municipal charter, when a member is absent without excuse from 3 consecutive regular committee meetings, the committee may declare that a vacancy exists.
4. Filling a vacancy. A vacancy may be filled:
A. By the school committee within 30 days. The term of a member appointed by the school committee to fill a vacancy shall expire at the next annual meeting; or
B. Whenever the remaining members of the school committee fail to appoint a person to fill a vacancy, by election at a town meeting called for the purpose.