(((1))) The board shall consist of eight members. Six members shall be affected producers appointed or elected as provided in WAC 16-529-020 through 16-529-120. One member shall be an affected handler appointed as provided in WAC 16-529-020 through 16-529-120. The director shall appoint one member of the board who is neither an affected producer nor an affected handler to represent the director. The position representing the director shall be a voting member.

(((a)))(1) Director-appointed positions on the board shall be designated as position 2, position 4, position 6, and position 7. The affected handler member of the board shall be position 7.

(((b)))(2) Elected affected producer positions on the board shall be designated as position 1, position 3, and position 5.

(((c)))(3) The position representing the director who is neither an affected producer nor an affected handler shall be designated as position 8.

(((2) For the purpose of nomination, appointment, and election of affected producer members of the board, the affected area of the state of Washington shall be divided into three representative districts as follows:

(d) If no nominations are received or there are fewer than three affected producers within a district, the position(s) shall be deemed "at large" and shall be filled by a producer from any district in the state. Nominations may be made by producers from any district in the state pursuant to the provisions of WAC 16-529-060.))

(1) For the purpose of nominating candidates for appointment or election to board membership, the director shall call a separate nomination meeting of affected producers and affected handlers.

(2) Each year the director shall call a nomination meeting for both elected and director-appointed affected producer and affected handler board members ((in those districts)) whose board members' terms are about to expire. The meeting(s) shall be held at least ((thirty))30 days in advance of the date set by the director for the election or advisory vote of board members.

(a) ((Notice of a nomination meeting shall be published in newspapers of general circulation within the affected district not less than ten days in advance of the date of such meeting and, in addition,))Written notice of every such meeting shall be given to all affected producers ((within such affected district)), and to all handlers, according to the list maintained by the board pursuant to RCW 15.65.295.

(b) Nonreceipt of notice by any interested person shall not invalidate the proceedings at such nomination meeting.

(c) Any qualified affected producer or affected handler may be nominated orally for membership on the board at a nomination meeting. Nominations may also be made within five days after the nomination meeting by written petition filed with the director, signed by not less than three affected producers or affected handlers.

(d) When only one nominee is nominated by the affected producers for any position, RCW 15.65.250 shall apply.

(1) An election or advisory vote shall be conducted by secret ballot under the supervision of the director. Each affected producer and affected handler shall be entitled to one vote.

(2) Elected affected producer members of the board shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast by the affected producers ((within the affected district or, in the case of an election for an "at large" position, by a majority of the votes cast by affected producers from any district))statewide.

If a nominee does not receive a majority of the votes on the first ballot, a runoff election shall be held by mail in a similar manner between the two candidates for such position receiving the largest number of votes.

(3) An advisory vote shall be conducted for affected producer or affected handler board members appointed by the director under the provisions of RCW 15.65.243. The names of the two candidates receiving the most votes in the advisory vote shall be forwarded to the director for potential appointment to the board. In the event there are only two candidates nominated for a board position, an advisory vote may not be held and the candidates' names shall be forwarded to the director for potential appointment.

(4) ((Notice of every election or advisory vote for board membership shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the affected district not less than ten days in advance of the date of the election or advisory vote.)) Not less than ((ten))10 days prior to every election or advisory vote for board membership, the director shall mail a ballot of the candidates to each affected producer and affected handler entitled to vote whose name appears upon the list of such affected producers and affected handlers as maintained by the board pursuant to RCW 15.65.295. Any other affected producer or affected handler entitled to vote may obtain a ballot by application to the director upon establishing his/her qualifications.

(5) Nonreceipt of a ballot by an affected producer or affected handler shall not invalidate the election or advisory vote of any board member.

(1) The fixed annual assessment on all varieties of alfalfa seed subject to this marketing order shall be ((fifty))75 cents per hundredweight of cleaned seed, which shall be paid by the producer thereof upon each and every unit sold, marketed, or delivered for sale by him.

(2) First handlers or purchasers shall collect assessments at time of payment for seed from producers whose production they handle and remit the same to the board in accordance with procedures adopted by the board.

Producers and producer-handlers who ship their alfalfa seed direct to handlers outside of the state of Washington shall remit assessments to the board at time of shipment.