Section 505. Election of the active teacher members of the board

1.  An
  annual convention of the members of the retirement system shall be  held
  within  the  state  of New York during the month of November, at an hour
  and place set by the retirement board on or before  May  first  of  each
  year, for the purpose of electing members of the retirement board.
    2.  Said  convention  shall  be  composed  of  delegates  selected  as
  hereinafter provided from each territory constituting  the  jurisdiction
  of,  unless otherwise provided for herein, a district superintendent, of
  a village or a city superintendent, or from a school district  within  a
  supervisory  district  and  having  at least seventy-five members of the
  retirement system, or from the department, or from a unit of  the  state
  university,  which  territory, school district, department or unit shall
  constitute a territorial unit  of  representation  in  the  assembly  of
  delegates.  Each territorial unit shall be entitled to be represented in
  such  convention  by  one  delegate  for each two hundred members of the
  retirement system employed on a per annum basis in said unit. The  total
  entitlement  to  delegates for each territorial unit shall be the number
  of such members divided by two hundred, rounded off to the nearest whole
  number; provided, that each unit shall  be  entitled  to  at  least  one
  delegate.
    3.  Delegates  from  each  territorial  unit  shall  be elected, for a
  two-year term to commence on August first of the year  of  election,  by
  the  vote  of a plurality of the members of the retirement system within
  such territorial unit voting by secret ballot. If there is more than one
  delegate entitled to be elected to represent  a  territorial  unit,  the
  voters  shall be instructed to cast a vote for sufficient persons in the
  number needed to represent the territorial  unit  and  those  candidates
  receiving the most votes shall be declared elected.
    4.  The  election of delegates shall be held in odd numbered years, no
  earlier than March first and no later than  June  first,  in  accordance
  with   rules  adopted  by  the  chief  administrative  officer  of  each
  territorial unit or his designee. The chief  administrative  officer  of
  each  territorial  unit or his designee shall, no later than July first,
  file with the retirement system a certificate of election containing the
  names and addresses of the delegates elected to  the  annual  convention
  and  such  other  information as may be required by the retirement board
  and shall furnish the delegates elected with a copy of said  certificate
  of  their  election.  The  certificate  of  election  shall be in a form
  prescribed by the retirement board.
    5. An alternate shall be elected, in the same manner as prescribed for
  delegates, for each delegate to serve  if  the  delegate  is  absent  or
  unable to serve.
    6.  Each  delegate  and  alternate  must be a member of the retirement
  system and employed as a teacher in the territorial unit which he or she
  represents.  A person may be elected to  only  one  position,  and  each
  delegate shall be entitled to only one vote.
    7.  If  both  a  delegate  position  and  its  corresponding alternate
  position become vacant, a special election shall be held, no later  than
  October  first,  in  the same manner as the regular election to fill the
  remaining portion of the term, and the chief administrative  officer  or
  his  designee shall no later than October sixth file with the retirement
  system a certificate of election  and  shall  furnish  the  delegate  so
  elected with a copy of said certificate of election.
    8.  Said  convention  shall  be  called  to  order  by a member of the
  retirement board designated  by  said  board,  and  shall  organize  the
  election  of  a  chairman and a secretary.   A majority of all delegates
  entitled to seats in said convention shall constitute a quorum  for  the
  transaction of business.

    9.  Members  of the retirement board shall be elected by a majority of
  those present and voting at the convention held pursuant to this section
  for a term commencing  on  the  first  day  of  February  following  the
  election.  In order to be eligible to be elected to the retirement board
  pursuant  to  this  section, a person must be a member of the retirement
  system.
    10. The provisions of this section shall be deemed mandatory  and  not
  directory.