The commission shall call a meeting of apple growers, and meetings of apple dealers in dealer district No. 1 and dealer district No. 2 for the purpose of nominating to the advisory ballot for nomination to the director their respective members of the commission, when a term is about to expire, or when a vacancy exists, except as provided in RCW 15.24.050, as amended, at times and places to be fixed by the commission. The meetings shall be held each year and insofar as practicable, the meetings of the growers shall be held at the same time and place as the annual meeting of the Washington state horticultural association, or the annual meeting of any other producer organization which represents a majority of the state's apple producers, as determined by the commission, but not while the same is in actual session. Public notice of such meetings shall be given by the commission in such manner as it may determine: PROVIDED, That nonreceipt of the notice by any interested person shall not invalidate the proceedings. Any qualified person may be nominated orally for such positions at the respective meetings. Nominations may also be made within five days after any such meeting by written petition filed in the office of the commission, signed by not less than five apple growers or dealers, as the case may be, residing within the district or within the subdivision if the nomination is made from a subdivision.

     Nominees to be forwarded to the director for appointment to producer positions on the commission shall be selected by a majority of the votes cast by the apple growers in the respective districts. Each grower who operates a commercial producing apple orchard within the district being represented, whether an individual proprietor, partnership, joint venture, or corporation, is entitled to one vote. As to bona fide leased or rented orchards, only the lessee-operator, if otherwise qualified, shall be entitled to vote. An individual commercial orchard operator, if otherwise qualified, shall be entitled to vote as such, even though he or she is also a member of a partnership or corporation which votes for other apple acreage. Nominees to be forwarded to the director for appointment to dealer positions on the commission shall be selected by a majority of the votes cast by the apple dealers in the respective districts, each dealer being entitled to one vote.

[2008 c 11 § 2; 2004 c 178 § 6; 2002 c 313 § 117; 1989 c 354 § 56; 1967 c 240 § 25; 1963 c 145 § 4; 1961 c 11 § 15.24.040. Prior: 1949 c 191 § 1, part; 1937 c 195 § 3, part; Rem. Supp. 1949 § 2874-3, part.]

NOTES:

     Effective dates -- 2002 c 313: See note following RCW 15.65.020.

     Severability -- 1989 c 354: See note following RCW 15.36.012.