Section 121 - Local option election in a municipalityA local option election in a municipality shall be held in the following manner. [1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4(NEW).]
1.Petition. A petition for a local option election must be signed by 30 voters in that municipality or by a number of voters equal to at least 5% of the number of votes cast in that municipality in the last gubernatorial election, whichever is fewer. All petition signatures must have been signed since the last general election. The petition must be addressed to and received by the municipal officers at least 60 days before holding any primary, special statewide, general or municipal election or town meeting. [2019, c. 672, §1(RPR).]
1-A.Vote of municipal officers. As an alternative to the petition process in subsection 1, the municipal officers may vote to hold a local option election, which must be conducted pursuant to subsection 3, including one or more of the questions specified in section 123. [2019, c. 672, §2(NEW).]
2.Meeting. Upon receipt of a petition, or in accordance with a vote of the municipal officers pursuant to subsection 1-A, the municipal officers shall notify the inhabitants of their respective municipalities to meet in the manner prescribed by law. The meeting must be held to vote upon any or all of the questions contained in section 123. [2019, c. 672, §3(AMD).]
3.Conduct of election. Except as provided in this section, the petition process and the voting at elections held in towns and plantations must be held and conducted in accordance with Title 30-A, sections 2528, 2529 and 2532, even if the town or plantation has not accepted the provisions of section 2528. The voting at elections held in cities must be held and conducted in accordance with Title 21-A. No referendum questions except those set out in section 123 may be printed on the ballot. The municipal clerk shall make a return of the results, certify the results and send it to the office of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall forward the results to the bureau. [1997, c. 373, §29(AMD).]
Amended by 2020, c. 672,§ 3, eff. 3/18/2020.Amended by 2020, c. 672,§ 2, eff. 3/18/2020.Amended by 2020, c. 672,§ 1, eff. 3/18/2020.Amended by 2018SP2, c. 475,§ C-8, eff. 9/12/2018.1987, c. 45, §A4 (NEW) . 1987, c. 147, § 1 (AMD) . 1993, c. 608, §§2,3 (AMD) . 1997, c. 373, § 29 (AMD) .