§ 106-568.35. Alternate provision for referendum voting by mail.
§ 106‑568.35. Alternate provision for referendum voting by mail.
(a) At any time when it may be found that it is not desirable orreasonably possible to conduct a referendum by written ballots to be cast atpolling places (as provided in G.S. 106‑568.23 and 106‑568.24 ofthis Article), the board of directors of Tobacco Associates, Incorporated, byan affirmative vote of not less than two‑thirds of its members (whichvote shall include the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of suchboard members who were elected by North Carolina farm organizations), mayprescribe and provide for a vote by mail by written or printed ballot.
(b) In the event that the board of directors shall decide toconduct the referendum by mail vote, the board shall prescribe the rules andregulations under which such mail referendum shall be conducted; shall providethe necessary ballots and cause them to be mailed to the farmers of NorthCarolina who are engaged in the production of flue‑cured tobacco; shallprovide envelopes for the return of such ballots by individual voters; shallcause to be published through the medium of the public press in the State ofNorth Carolina notice of the holding of such referendum at least 15 daysbefore the mailing out of the ballots; shall give direct written notice of suchproposed mail referendum to all statewide farm organizations within the Stateof North Carolina and to each county agent in each county in which flue‑curedtobacco is grown; shall provide a closing date for the return of the ballots;shall provide for the receipt and safeguarding of such ballots; and, within 30days of the date set as the latest date for the return of such ballots, shallcanvass the ballots and publish and declare the results of such referendum. (1975, c. 125; 1987, c. 294, s. 12.)