(1) Apiarist members of the commission shall be nominated and elected by the apiarists within the district they are to represent in the year in which a member’s term expires. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes cast shall be elected. The election shall be by secret mail ballot and shall be conducted by the director, who shall be reimbursed for actual expenses of conducting the election by the commission.

(2) The director shall provide forms for the nomination of candidates to each affected person. The nomination form shall provide for the name of the person being nominated and the names of five persons supporting the nomination.

(3) The persons nominating the candidate shall affirm that the candidate meets the qualifications and is willing to serve by signing the nomination form.

(4) The nomination forms shall be returned to the director by June 30 of the election year, and the director shall not accept any nomination postmarked later than midnight of that date.

(5) In the event no nomination is submitted for a position, the director shall nominate at least two, but no more than three, qualified persons and place their names on the election ballot as nominees. Any qualified person may be elected by write-in ballot, even though his or her name was not placed in nomination.

(6) Ballots for electing commission members shall be mailed by the director to all apiarists and brokers in areas where elections are to be held no later than July 15. Ballots, to be valid, shall be returned to the director postmarked no later than July 31. Elected persons shall take office effective September 1 of the year elected except initial elections shall take place within one hundred twenty days after July 23, 1989.