This division governs the recall of elective officers of the State of California and of all counties, cities, school districts, county boards of education, community college districts, special districts, and judges of courts of appeal and superior courts. It does not supersede the provisions of a city charter or county charter, or of ordinances adopted pursuant to a city charter or county charter, relating to recall.

For the purposes of this division, judges of courts of appeal shall be considered state officers, and judges of superior courts shall be considered county officers.

For the purposes of this division, “elections official” means one of the following:

with the secretary of the governing board.

For the purposes of this division, “governing board” means a city council, the board of supervisors of a county, the board of trustees of a school district or community college district, or the legislative body of a special district, as the context requires. In the case of the recall of a superior court judge, “governing board” means the board of supervisors.

For the purposes of this division, a “local officer” is an elective officer of a city, county, school district, community college district, or special district, or a judge of a superior court.

The proponents of a recall must be registered voters of the electoral jurisdiction of the officer they seek to recall.

Proceedings may be commenced for the recall of any elective officer, including any officer appointed in lieu of election or to fill a vacancy, by the service, filing and publication or posting of a notice of intention to circulate a recall petition pursuant to this chapter.

Except when a person has been appointed to office pursuant to Section 10229 because no person had been nominated to office, proceedings may not be commenced against an officer of a city, county, special district, school district, community college district, or county board of education in the event of one or more of any of the following: