12 USC § 2208 - Prohibition against use of signed ballots

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t12/s2208"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "12 USC § 2208 - Prohibition against use of signed ballots"
title_number: 12
title_name: "BANKS AND BANKING"
section_number: "2208"
section_name: "Prohibition against use of signed ballots"
chapter_number: 23
chapter_name: "FARM CREDIT SYSTEM"
subchapter_number: "IV"
subchapter_name: "PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO TWO OR MORE CLASSES OF INSTITUTIONS OF THE SYSTEM"
part_number: "D"
part_name: "Activities of Institutions of the System"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 92–181, title IV, § 4.20, as added Pub. L. 96–592, title IV, § 403, Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3447; amended Pub. L. 100–233, title IV, § 425, Jan. 6, 1988, 101 Stat. 1657.)"
---


# § 2208. Prohibition against use of signed ballots

In any election or merger vote, or other proceeding subject to a vote of the stockholders (or subscribers to the guaranty fund of a bank for cooperatives), conducted by a lending institution of the Farm Credit System, the institution—

**(1)** may not use signed ballots; and

**(2)** shall implement measures to safeguard the voting process for the protection of the right of stockholders (or subscribers) to a secret ballot.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 92–181, title IV, § 4.20, as added Pub. L. 96–592, title IV, § 403, Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3447; amended Pub. L. 100–233, title IV, § 425, Jan. 6, 1988, 101 Stat. 1657.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1988— amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “The provisions of (1)  authorizing the Federal intermediate credit banks to lend to or discount paper for other financial institutions, and (2)  authorizing the financing of certain domestic or foreign entities in connection with the import or export activities of cooperatives which are borrowers from the banks for cooperatives, shall expire on , unless extended by Act of Congress prior to that date. Any contract or agreement entered into under the authority of either provision prior to its expiration shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such expiration.”