The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall pay all expenses for the issuance of such notices and the conduct of such hearings and referenda. It shall issue appropriate regulations governing the conduct of such hearings and referenda. No informalities in the conduct thereof shall invalidate said referendum.   [PL 1969, c. 477, §1 (AMD); PL 1995, c. 532, §17 (AMD); PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV).]