At any time after 3 years after the organization of a district, under the provisions of this Act, any 25 or more owners of land within the limits of such district who own at least 10% of the land, by area, within such district may file a petition with the Department praying that the operations of the district be terminated and the existence of the district discontinued. The Department may conduct such public meetings and public hearings upon such petition as may be necessary to assist it in the consideration thereof.
Within 60 days after such a petition has been received by the Department it shall give due notice of the holding of a referendum, and shall supervise such referendum, and issue appropriate regulations governing the conduct thereof, the question to be submitted by ballots upon which the words "For terminating the existence of the ....(name of the soil and water conservation district to be here inserted)" and "Against terminating the existence of the ....(name of the soil and water conservation district to be here inserted)" shall appear with a square before each proposition and a direction to insert an X mark in the square before one or the other of said propositions. Only owners of land lying within the boundaries of the district shall be eligible to vote in such referendum and each shall have one vote. Owners of land may vote in person or by absentee ballot. No informalities in the conduct of such referendum or in any matters relating thereto shall invalidate said referendum or the result thereof if notice thereof shall have been given substantially as herein provided and said referendum shall have been fairly conducted.
70 ILCS 405/28