A. 1. Elections for the board of directors shall be conducted under the procedures provided by this section.

2. A cotton grower eligible to vote in a particular district who desires to be a candidate for the board of directors shall file with the board a petition signed by five cotton growers from the district board. The application shall be:

a.filed not later than thirty (30) days before the date set for the election, and

b.on a form approved by the board.

3. On receipt of an application and verification that the application meets the requirements of this section, an applicant's name shall be placed on the ballot for the election of the board of directors.

4. The election shall be preceded by at least forty-five (45) days' notice published in one or more newspapers published and distributed in the established election districts. The notice shall be published not less than once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks.

B. All cotton growers actively engaged in the production of cotton in the year of the calling of an election or who were actively engaged in production of cotton in any two (2) of the three (3) years immediately preceding the calling of the election shall be entitled to vote in the election. The board shall determine eligibility to vote.

C. The board shall establish an election process that shall include but not be limited to provisions for determining:

a.who is a cotton grower eligible to vote in an election,

b.whether a board member is elected by a plurality or a majority of the votes cast, and

c.qualifications for membership of the board of directors.

D. Eligible cotton growers may vote in any district in which they produce cotton.

E. Ballots in an election may be mailed to a central location or delivered in person to a location or locations designated by the board.

Added by Laws 1993, c. 198, § 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Laws 2006, c. 211, § 6, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.