The Board of Directors is hereby directed and authorized to establish geographical districts to ensure that the membership shall have equitable representation throughout the Cooperative.
The Board of Directors shall alter or change the district boundaries wherever any district's aggregate membership is 20% more than or 20% less than 1/7 of the membership of the entire Cooperative. It shall be the duty of the Secretary 60 days prior to the annual meeting, to cause the membership to be notified of new changes in the boundaries of their respective districts. No change in the boundaries of any district or districts can be made without the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.
It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors, from time to time, to determine whether the districts as then defined offer equitable representation on the Board of Directors. Should the Board of Directors fail in maintaining equitable representation throughout the Cooperative, or should 1 district or districts feel that equitable representation on the Board of Directors is not effective, then any member may present by petition, said petition carrying the signatures of 15 or more members, a request directed both to the President and the Secretary demanding that a study of the boundaries of all the districts of the project be made and that this study be presented to the members at the annual meeting for action by the membership.
Should the Cooperative have more than 7 directors, as provided in these bylaws, then the Cooperative shall also have the same number of director districts as it has directors. The new districts shall be established so as to ensure equitable representation throughout the Cooperative and shall be subject to alterations or change as provided herein and on the same applicable 20% aggregate membership deviation.
This petition shall be forwarded to the President and Secretary 90 days prior to the annual meeting, thus permitting ample time for a study of the boundaries of the district of the Cooperative to be made and published 7 days prior to the annual meeting by or at the direction of the Secretary.