§ 61-06-13 — Ballot at irrigation district elections - Contents - Mail ballots

1. At least fifteen days before an election in an irrigation district, the secretary shall
prepare and have printed an official ballot containing the names of all candidates
which have been filed with the secretary. The ballot must:
a. Be headed "Official Ballot";
b. Contain all names thus filed;
c. Show the name of the district;
d. State the number of individuals to be voted for;
e. Have blank spaces below for writing in other names; and
f. State any question or resolution submitted to the electors by the board of
directors.
2. The provisions of this chapter do not prevent an individual desiring to be a candidate
at the election and who has failed to file as provided in this chapter, from furnishing
stickers to be attached to the ballot by the electors. The stickers may not be over
one-half inch [1.27 centimeters] in width and must have printed thereon one name
only.
3. If the election is not held by mail ballot any elector who will be absent from the
irrigation district on the day of the election may vote an absent voter's ballot at that
election. The secretary shall provide the official ballot to any elector who applies for an
absent voter's ballot, and the absent voter shall submit the absent voter's ballot to the
secretary of the district, along with an affidavit that the ballot submitted represents the
elector's vote at the election, on or before the day of the election. An absent voter's
ballot must be the official ballot, and the ballot and affidavit must be actually delivered
to the secretary or the election board before the polls close on election day. The
secretary shall submit any absent voters' ballots to the election board on the day of the
district election.
4. If the board of directors of the irrigation district determines to hold the election by mail
ballot, the secretary of the board of directors shall mail an official mail ballot with a

return identification envelope and instructions sufficient to describe the voting process
to each elector on the fifteenth day before the election. The voting instructions must
contain a statement informing the elector that the elector is entitled to complete the
mail ballot in secrecy. The secretary shall mail the ballot by first-class mail, addressed
to the address of the elector and placed in an envelope that is prominently marked "Do
Not Forward". The return identification envelope must include an affidavit for the
elector to certify that the ballot submitted represents the elector's vote. An elector
entitled to cast more than one vote must be provided separate ballots for each vote to
which the elector is entitled, and a return envelope with instructions sufficient to keep
the ballots secret. An elector may obtain a replacement ballot if a mail ballot is
destroyed, spoiled, lost, or not received by the elector by signing a sworn statement
that the ballot was destroyed, spoiled, lost, or not received and delivering the
statement to the secretary of the district no later than four p.m. on the day before the
election. An elector voting by mail ballot shall either deliver the mail ballot to the
secretary of the district before five p.m. on the day of the election or mail the ballot,
which must be postmarked no later than the day before the election.