§ 4.1-04-18 — Advisory referendum

1. a. When petitioned to do so by fifteen percent of the producers, the council shall
conduct a referendum among the producers of the state to determine the amount
by which the assessment imposed by this chapter should be raised or lowered.
b. To be considered a valid petition, no more than fifty percent of the producers who
signed the petition may reside in one district.
2. The council shall determine the date on which in-person voting will take place.
3. The council shall prepare the ballots and make the ballots available to producers at
each county extension office in the state.
4. Each ballot must include a statement indicating:
a. The date, time, and location at which the council will open and tabulate the
ballots; and
b. That any producer may be present at the time the ballots are opened and
tabulated.
5. a. Beginning no sooner than thirty days before the date established for in-person
voting in accordance with subsection 2, the council also shall provide absentee
ballots upon request to producers who expect to be absent from their county of
residence on the date established for in-person voting in accordance with
subsection 2.
b. The council shall include with each absentee ballot requested a form indicating
that the producer is eligible to participate in the referendum. The form must be
signed by the absentee producer and returned with the absentee ballot.
c. In order to be counted, an absentee ballot and the voter's statement of eligibility
must be received by the council at least forty-eight hours before the time at which
the council stated it would open and tabulate ballots.
6. If a majority of the producers voting upon the question are in favor of the proposed
change, the council shall submit proposed legislation to the next regular session of the
legislative assembly to amend this chapter.