In 1961, the Merced High and Le Grand High School Districts petitioned the State Board of Education for permission to set an election to approve the establishment of a junior college district in Merced County.

The State Board of Education approved the proposal for the Merced County Junior College on November 10, 1961.

Before the election, Robert Clemo, Chief of the Bureau of School District Organization, along with Loren Wann, conducted a survey to determine if Merced County had a sufficient number of students at the time and in the future, if the tax base was high enough to support a community college, and whether a need for a separate junior college (separate from Modesto Junior College) existed.

It was composed of the following individuals: Buddy Iwata, George Clark, Byron Cunningham, John Hann, and Donald Robinson.

Buddy Iwata was the first board chairman, George Clark was the vice-chairman, and Byron Cunningham was the secretary.