A. The Commissioner shall, under the regulations adopted by the Board pursuant to § 3.2-112, arrange for the use of any polling places, if necessary.

B. The Commissioner shall, at least 60 days before the date on which a referendum is to be held, mail notice to the clerk of the circuit court in each locality where cotton is produced. The clerk of the court shall post the notice on the front door or public bulletin board of the courthouse and certify the posting to the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall, at least 60 days prior to the holding of any referendum under this chapter, send a notice of the referendum (i) to a newspaper of general circulation in each locality where cotton is produced or (ii) by mail to all persons listed as cotton producers with the Department during the fiscal year preceding the referendum.

The notice shall contain the date, hours, voting places, and method of voting in the referendum; the amount of assessment to be collected, the means by which the assessment will be collected, and the general purposes for how the assessment will be used; and the regulations adopted by the Board pursuant to § 3.2-112.

C. The Commissioner shall prepare and distribute in advance of the referendum all necessary ballots, certificates, and supplies required for the referendum.

D. The Commissioner shall, within 10 days after the referendum, canvass and publicly declare the results thereof and certify the same to the Governor and shall notify, by mail, each member of the Board of the results.

1997, c. 873, §§ 3.1-1085, 3.1-1087; 2008, c. 860; 2010, c. 14.