28-A:4 Charter Commission Report; Referendum. –
I. Within 9 months after its election, the charter commission, if it determines a charter shall be proposed, shall prepare a preliminary report including the text of the charter which the commission intends shall be submitted to the voters and any explanatory information the commission deems desirable, and shall cause such report to be printed and circulated to the board of commissioners, the county convention, the secretary of state, all clerks of municipalities and each public library within the county. Within 12 months after its election, the charter commission shall submit to the board of commissioners and the county convention its final report, which shall include the full text and explanation of the proposed new charter or charter revision, such comments as the commission deems desirable, an indication of the major differences between any current and proposed charters, and a written opinion by an attorney admitted to the bar of this state that the proposed charter or charter revision is not in conflict with the Constitution or the general laws. Minority reports, if filed, shall not exceed 1,000 words.
II. (a) Upon the filing of the final report, the board of commissioners shall forward the proposed new charter to the secretary of state, who shall submit the question of adoption of the charter to the voters on the official ballot used within the county at the next state general election after the filing of the final report. The charter commission shall draft the question and it may expand or elaborate on the question; however, the substance of the question shall be as follows:
"Shall the proposed charter for the county (name of county) be adopted as recommended by the charter commission?"
(b) The charter commission shall continue in existence for 30 days after submission of the question to the voters.
(c) In order for the charter to be adopted, at least 2/3 of the voters voting on the question must vote "yes" on the charter question. The results of the vote on this question shall be forwarded by the municipal clerks to the secretary of state in the same manner as the results of other balloting are reported.