Whenever the board of directors of any irrigation district shall deem it for the best interest of said district that any or all outstanding bonds of said district be refunded, they shall so declare by resolution duly adopted and recorded in the minutes of said board and shall, with the written approval of the state director of the department of ecology, submit the question to the legally qualified electors of said district at a general election or at a special election called for that purpose and if a majority of said electors voting at said election vote in favor thereof the directors of said district shall issue and exchange said bonds for those outstanding, or sell said bonds and retire said outstanding bonds. The bonds may be issued and sold in accordance with chapter
39.46 RCW.