(1) Within seven days after any recommendation by the president of the United States of a site in the state of Washington to be a high-level nuclear waste repository under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 10136, the governor shall set the date for a special statewide election to vote on disapproval of the selection of such site. The special election shall be held not less than forty-five nor more than ninety days after the date of the recommendation of the president of the United States.

(2) If either the governor or the legislature submits a notice of disapproval to the United States Congress within twenty-one days of the date of the recommendation by the president of the United States, then the governor is authorized to cancel the special election pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.