SECTION 195:2-1-2. Nominations, petitions, and elections of Board members

(a)   Return of petitions. All petitions for nomination of Board members to be placed on the ballots must be returned personally or by certified mail to the Secretary of the Board.

(b)   Balloting. Balloting instructions and ballots will be mailed to members entitled to vote at least thirty (30) days before the meeting of the Board, when ballots are to be counted. A certain date, time limit for the ballots to be returned to the Office of the Board will be included in the balloting instructions. Ballot instructions and ballots will be mailed in plain Board envelopes with an enclosed return envelope addressed to the Office of the Board. Ballots will be numbered. A careful check of the record of membership, as of the date ballots are mailed, will be made to verify that only those members entitled to vote will receive a ballot. There will be no evidence of the members name on the instructions for balloting or on the ballot. The Office of the Board will keep no record of the member receiving the numbered ballot. The sealed envelopes containing the ballots from the members will not be opened upon their return to the Office of the Board. The seal on the envelopes containing the ballots will be broken at the meeting of the Board, and the votes counted. Candidates whose names appear on the ballots, and their representatives, will be invited to be present when the seals are broken and the votes counted.

(c)   Counting of ballots. At the time of counting the ballots, the one receiving the highest number of votes cast will be declared the new Board Member from that district.

(d)   Votes. In case of a tie vote, a new ballot will be printed and sent to the eligible members listing only the names of those candidates who receive the highest number of votes.

(e)   Oath of office. A newly elected member of the Board must take the Oath of Office before he is officially seated on the Board. The Oath will be administered by the President as the first order of business of the new Board.