The Sacramento County Board of Education has adopted a resolution declaring a special election to be held on June 3, 2008, for Area 1 Trustee for the County Board of Education. The special election, which will coincide with the regular June election, will fill the remaining term which was held by the late Elinor Lincoln Hickey, who passed away on January 22 at the age of 90.
"The Board is obligated, at the earliest possible date, to call for the special election and that it be consolidated with the June 3rd regular election," said Sacramento County Board of Education President Victoria L. Deane. "Because the Area 1 seat is now vacant so long before the June vote, the law does not allow us the option of appointing someone to this post. Therefore, we are required to call a special election."
California Education Code 5093 (b) dictates that "when a vacancy occurs from six months to 130 days before a regularly scheduled Board election at which the position is not scheduled to be filled, a special election to fill the position shall be consolidated with the regular election."
Elinor Lincoln Hickey had served since 1990 as Area 1 Trustee for the County Board of Education and twice as Board President (1991–92 and 2000–01). Her term is due to run out in June 2010.
Area 1 represents the communities of College Greens, Curtis Park, downtown and midtown Sacramento, East Sacramento, Elder Creek, Hollywood Park, Land Park, Lemon Hill, McKinley Park, Perkins, River Park, Tahoe Park, and portions of Airport, Oak Park, and South Land Park. School districts served include a major portion of Sacramento City Unified School District, and small portions of Elk Grove Unified and North Sacramento School Districts.