Cal. Wat. Code § 30730
The board may, if it deems it to be for the best interest of the district, by resolution submit to the voters at any district election the question whether the directors shall be elected by divisions or from divisions.
The term "by divisions," as used in this article, means election of the directors by voters of the division alone. The term "from divisions," as used in this article, means election of directors who are residents of the division from which they are elected by the voters of the entire district.
The board of any district which is electing directors by divisions on the effective date of the amendment of this section at the 1971 Regular Session of the Legislature shall determine by ordinance, subject to referendum as provided in Section 30831, whether directors shall be elected by divisions or from divisions. The board shall thereupon comply with the requirements of Section 30733 or Section 30734, whichever is applicable, in the same manner as if the question of whether the directors shall be elected by divisions or from divisions had been submitted to and approved by the voters of the district.
Ca. Water Code § 30730