SECTION 3.2. Board Candidates

(a) A representative number of members to the foundation's board of directors shall be elected from each established eradication zone for a term not to exceed four years.

(b) In order to be a candidate for board membership, a person must be eligible to vote in the referendum, must reside in the eradication zone that the person is seeking to represent and have at least seven years cotton growing experience.

(c) In order to have a person's name put on the ballot, that person must file with the department, at least 30 days prior to the date of the election, a petition signed by ten eligible voters within the eradication zone to be represented. The form for the petition is to be provided by the department.

(d) If only one candidate files the petition described by subsection (c) of this section, the election for that board position is not held, and the unopposed candidate, if otherwise eligible, shall be declared elected to the board at the time the ballots would have otherwise been canvassed.

(e) An eligible voter may vote for a cotton grower whose name does not appear on the ballot by writing that person's name and county of residence on the ballot.

(f) Board candidates are elected by plurality, by receiving the highest number of votes of all candidates for that board position.

Source Note: The provisions of this §3.2 adopted to be effective August 9, 1993, 18 TexReg 4949; amended to be effective August 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 6891; amended to be effective November 24, 1997, 22 TexReg 11081; amended to be effective June 26, 2023, 48 TexReg 3405