106-568.35. Alternate provision for referendum voting by mail.

(a) At any time when it may be found that it is not desirable or reasonably possible to conduct a referendum by written ballots to be cast at polling places (as provided in G.S. 106-568.23 and 106-568.24 of this Article), the board of directors of Tobacco Associates, Incorporated, by an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of its members (which vote shall include the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of such board members who were elected by North Carolina farm organizations), may prescribe and provide for a vote by mail by written or printed ballot.

(b) In the event that the board of directors shall decide to conduct the referendum by mail vote, the board shall prescribe the rules and regulations under which such mail referendum shall be conducted; shall provide the necessary ballots and cause them to be mailed to the farmers of North Carolina who are engaged in the production of flue-cured tobacco; shall provide envelopes for the return of such ballots by individual voters; shall cause to be published through the medium of the public press in the State of North Carolina notice of the holding of such referendum at least 15 days before the mailing out of the ballots; shall give direct written notice of such proposed mail referendum to all statewide farm organizations within the State of North Carolina and to each county agent in each county in which flue-cured tobacco 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 30 days of the date set as the latest date for the return of such ballots, shall canvass the ballots and publish and declare the results of such referendum.