§ 7527 — Voting by proxy or mail

(a) General rule.--Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, no member may vote by proxy or by mail. No unrevoked proxy shall be valid more than 11 months from the date of its execution. If voting by mail is permitted, absent members may, under rules prescribed by the bylaws, be permitted to vote on specific questions by written ballot prepared by the association and sent by mail to or deposited with the secretary or other designated officer of the association.

(b) Action on marketing programs.--Except for day-to-day operating decisions relating to existing programs, no association shall vote for its members on any new programs or substantially modified proposals other than those regulated by Federal or State agencies affecting existing marketing or marketing development programs or amendments thereto unless it has either first obtained approval of the delegates or conducted a mail poll of its membership, and in such later event apprised the members of their rights to cast a vote and method of voting under the program and notified its membership of the results and its intentions at least five days prior to casting its vote. If proxy voting is allowed by the bylaws of the association, the proxy shall be valid only for the particular date and the specific issue for which the vote is called.