Section 11528 Of Article 1. Authority And Requirements To Mutualize From California Insurance Code >> Division 2. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 13. >> Article 1.
11528
. The election prescribed by subdivision (d) of Section 11526,
shall be called by the board of directors or the president and every
policyholder of the class or classes for whose benefit the stock is
to be acquired, whose insurance shall have been in force for at least
one year prior to the election shall have one vote, regardless of
the number of policies or amount of insurance the policyholder holds,
and regardless of whether the policies are policies of life
insurance or policies of disability insurance. Notice of the election
shall be given to policyholders entitled to vote by mail from the
principal office of the insurer at least 30 days prior to the date
set for the election, in a sealed envelope, postage prepaid,
addressed to the policyholder at that person's last known address.
Voting shall be by one of the following methods:
(a) At a meeting of those policyholders, held pursuant to the
notice, by ballot in person or by proxy.
(b) If not by the method described in subdivision (a), then by
mail pursuant to a procedure and on forms to be prescribed by the
plan.
The election shall be conducted under the direction and
supervision of three impartial and disinterested inspectors appointed
by the insurer and approved by the commissioner. In case any person
appointed as inspector fails to appear at the meeting or fails or
refuses to act at the election, the vacancy, if occurring in advance
of the convening of the meeting or in advance of the opening of the
mail vote, may be filled in the manner prescribed for the appointment
of inspectors and, if occurring at the meeting or during the canvass
of the mail vote, may be filled by the person acting as chairperson
of the meeting or designated for that purpose in the plan. The
decision, act, or certificate of a majority of the inspectors shall
be effective in all respects as the decision, act, or certificate of
all. The inspectors of election shall determine the number of
policyholders, the voting power of each, the policyholders
represented at the meeting or voting by mail, the existence of a
quorum, and the authenticity, validity, and effect of proxies. They
shall receive votes, hear and determine all challenges and questions
in any way arising in connection with the right to vote, count and
tabulate all votes, determine the result, and do such other acts as
are proper to conduct the vote with fairness to all policyholders.
The inspectors of election shall, before commencing performance of
their duties, subscribe to and file with the insurer and with the
commissioner an oath that they, and each of them, will perform their
duties impartially, in good faith, to the best of their ability and
as expeditiously as is practicable. On the request of the insurer,
the commissioner, a policyholder or his or her proxy, the inspectors
shall make a report in writing of any challenge or question or matter
determined by them and execute a certificate of any fact found by
them. They shall also certify the result of the vote to the insurer
and to the commissioner. Any report or certificate made by them shall
be prima facie evidence of facts stated therein. All necessary
expenses incurred in connection with the election shall be paid by
the insurer. For the purpose of this section, a quorum shall consist
of 5 percent of the policyholders of the insurer entitled to vote at
the election.