(1) If, following the public hearing conducted under RCW 87.03.845, the board of directors of the major irrigation district denies the request for a merger, no further action shall be taken on the request. If, following the public hearing, the board adopts a resolution approving the merger, the merger is approved by the major irrigation district and no election shall be held in the major district to approve the merger. However, if the holders of title or evidence of title to at least twenty percent of the assessed lands within the major district file a protest opposing the merger with the board of the major district at or before the public hearing, the board shall call a special election and submit to the voters of the major district the question of whether the merger should or should not be approved. Votes shall be cast as "Merger - Yes" or "Merger - No." If such a special election must be conducted and a majority of all votes cast in the district approve the merger, the merger is approved by the major district. Such an approval is effective on the date the returns of the election are canvassed under RCW 87.03.105.

     (2) The board of directors of the minor irrigation district shall, within thirty days of the date the merger is approved by the major district or of the date the board of the major district issues its call for a special election on the merger, call a special election within the minor district and submit to the voters of the minor district the question of whether the merger should or should not be approved. If special elections must be conducted in both districts, both elections shall be conducted on the date set by the board of the major district. If only the minor district must conduct such a special election, the election shall be held not later than sixty days after the date the merger has been approved by the board of the major district. Votes on the question shall be cast as "Merger - Yes" or "Merger - No." If a majority of all votes cast in the district are cast for "Merger - Yes," the merger is approved by the minor irrigation district. Such an approval is effective on the date the returns of the election are canvassed under RCW 87.03.105.

     (3) Notice of election in each district on the merger question shall conform to the requirements of notices for elections in the major district. Elections and voting in each district shall be consistent with RCW 87.03.045, 87.03.051, and 87.03.071. If the majority of all votes cast in a special election in either the major or a minor district are cast for "Merger - No," the merger is not approved.

     (4) If the merger is approved by the major irrigation district and by the minor irrigation district as provided by this section, the minor irrigation district is merged into the major irrigation district. If two or more minor districts are merging with a major district in one process as authorized by RCW 87.03.855 and if the merger is approved by the major irrigation district and by at least one of the minor irrigation districts as provided by this section, each minor irrigation district so approving is merged into the major irrigation district. The effective date of the merger is the date by which approval of the merger has been secured in both districts or, under RCW 87.03.855, in the major and minor district or districts. The board or boards of county commissioners of the county or counties containing territory of the merged districts and the director of the department of ecology shall be notified that the districts have merged.

[1993 c 235 § 3.]