§ 106-557.1. Ballot by mail.
§ 106‑557.1. Ballot by mail.
(a) As an alternative method of conducting a referendum underthe provisions of this Article, the certified agency in its discretion mayconduct the referendum by a mail ballot as herein provided. In the event that acertified agency determines in its discretion to conduct a mail ballot, publicnotice of said mail ballot shall be made at least 30 days before the date ofsaid referendum. Said notice shall contain the same information required byG.S. 106‑557, except that the notice will also state that the ballot isto be conducted by mail rather than at polling places. The notice shall alsostate that official ballots are being mailed on a date specified in the noticeto all persons known by the certified agency to be eligible to vote and thatany person not receiving by mail an official ballot by a date specified in thenotice will have 10 days thereafter to apply for an official ballot at theoffice of the certified agency. The notice shall state the deadline for thereceipt of all ballots and the address of the certified agency.
Official ballots shall be prepared by the certified agency and mailedby first‑class mail to the last known address of all persons known by thecertified agency to be eligible to vote. As announced in the public notice,said ballots shall be made available for a period of not less than 10 days, tothose who are eligible to vote in said referendum and did not receive a ballotby mail.
Before any person shall receive an official ballot, he shall furnish suchproof as the certified agency may require of his eligibility to vote in saidreferendum. The certified agency shall keep a list of those persons who receiveofficial ballots. No person may receive more than one official ballot unless hesatisfies the certified agency that his ballot has been lost or destroyed.
No votes shall be counted which are not on official ballots. To be eligible to be counted, ballots must be received by the certified agency at theplace and by the deadline previously announced in the public notice of saidreferendum.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the NorthCarolina Potato Association and the North Carolina Soybean Association. (1969, c. 111.)