AI-assisted research summary: The secretary must run the referendum process after a petition is received, publish notice, wait at least 14 days after publication, count the ballots, and impose the state assessment if a majority of voting producers approve it.
Upon receiving a petition to conduct a referendum as provided in section 181.19 or 181.19A, the secretary shall conduct the referendum as follows: 1. The secretary shall provide for the publication of a notice of the referendum for a period of not less than five days in a newspaper of general circulation in the state and in such other newspapers as the secretary may prescribe. The notice of referendum shall set forth the period for voting and the voting places for the referendum and the amount of the state assessment. A referendum shall not be commenced prior to fourteen days after the last day of such period of publication. 2. Each producer upon signing a statement certifying that the person is a bona fide producer shall be entitled to one vote. At the close of the referendum period, the secretary shall count and tabulate the ballots filed during the referendum period. The ballots cast in the referendum shall constitute complete and conclusive evidence for use in any determination made by the secretary under the provisions of this chapter. 3. The secretary shall tabulate the ballots to determine whether the referendum has passed. If from such tabulation the secretary determines that a majority of the total number of producers voting approves the imposition of a state assessment, the state assessment shall be imposed as provided in section 181.11 at a rate provided for in section 181.19. 4. The secretary may prescribe such additional procedures as may be necessary to conduct a referendum. [C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §181.15] 86 Acts, ch 1195, §3; 2004 Acts, ch 1037, §13, 19