This chapter, except as necessary to conduct an implementation referendum vote, shall not become operative until the secretary finds, in a referendum vote conducted by the secretary, that at least 40 percent of the total number of handlers from the list established by the secretary pursuant to this article have participated and that either of the following has occurred:
(a) Sixty-five percent or more of the handlers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of this chapter, and the handlers so voting handled a majority of the total quantity of dates in the preceding season by all of the handlers who voted in the referendum.
(b) A majority of the handlers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of this chapter, and the handlers so voting handled 65 percent or more of the total quantity of dates in the preceding marketing year by all of the handlers who voted in the referendum.