106-557.1. Ballot by mail.
(a) As an alternative method of conducting a referendum under the provisions of this Article, the certified agency in its discretion may conduct the referendum by a mail ballot as herein provided. In the event that a certified agency determines in its discretion to conduct a mail ballot, public notice of said mail ballot shall be made at least 30 days before the date of said referendum. Said notice shall contain the same information required by G.S. 106-557, except that the notice will also state that the ballot is to be conducted by mail rather than at polling places. The notice shall also state that official ballots are being mailed on a date specified in the notice to all persons known by the certified agency to be eligible to vote and that any person not receiving by mail an official ballot by a date specified in the notice will have 10 days thereafter to apply for an official ballot at the office of the certified agency. The notice shall state the deadline for the receipt of all ballots and the address of the certified agency.
Official ballots shall be prepared by the certified agency and mailed by first-class mail to the last known address of all persons known by the certified agency to be eligible to vote. As announced in the public notice, said ballots shall be made available for a period of not less than 10 days, to those who are eligible to vote in said referendum and did not receive a ballot by mail.
Before any person shall receive an official ballot, he shall furnish such proof as the certified agency may require of his eligibility to vote in said referendum. The certified agency shall keep a list of those persons who receive official ballots. No person may receive more than one official ballot unless he satisfies the certified agency that his ballot has been lost or destroyed.
No votes shall be counted which are not on official ballots. To be eligible to be counted, ballots must be received by the certified agency at the place and by the deadline previously announced in the public notice of said referendum.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the North Carolina Potato Association and the North Carolina Soybean Association.