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The LA Unified school board decided yesterday to hold its annual election for president in the traditional fashion, with an Annual Meeting on July 1, when the six members will choose their leader for the coming school year.

While that’s business as usual, it precludes the possibility that a newly-elected board member for District 1, will cast a vote.

As the top vote-getters in a primary, George McKenna and Alex Johnson are facing each other in an Aug. 12 runoff. The winner is likely to be sworn in a few days later, once the election is certified. The seat has been vacant since Marguerite LaMotte died in December.

Several members had expressed a desire to wait for the new member to join the board.

The state education code requires the district to hold an annual meeting within 15 days of July 1 and select a president at that meeting. It is possible for the board to hold another election at any time, which would make the July 1 selection an interim selection.

In any case, with no apparent challenger, Richard Vladovic is expected to win easily for a second one-year term no matter when a vote is taken.