In addition to other powers conferred by law, an irrigation district is authorized to construct, purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire, maintain, and operate a system for lighting public streets and highways and to enter into a contract or contracts with electric utilities, either public or private, to provide that service. However, no contract entered into by the board for providing street lighting for a period exceeding ten years is binding upon the district unless ratified by a majority vote of the electors of the district at an election called, held, and canvassed for that purpose in the same manner as provided by law for district bond elections.

The authority granted by this section applies only to an irrigation district that has begun the construction, purchase, lease, or acquisition of a street lighting system by January 1, 1984, or has entered into a contract for that service by that date.