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A legal technicality torpedoed plans for the Palo Alto school board to elect new officers Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Under state elections law, newly elected board member Heidi Emberling was not officially allowed to vote until the first Friday in December, Dec. 7.

Thus, the board will hold a special meeting Monday, Dec. 10, in which they will certify election results and have new and returning members sign their oaths of office.

Board members will elect officers at the next regular meeting Dec. 18.

The glitch did not stop the celebration Tuesday, when Emberling and returning incumbents Melissa Baten Caswell and Camille Townsend were ceremonially sworn in and honored with a cake-and-punch reception.

— Chris Kenrick

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