17-312. Village; retention of village government; petition; election.
(1) Whenever any village attains a population exceeding eight hundred inhabitants as determined by the most recent federal decennial census or the most recent revised certified count by the United States Bureau of the Census, the registered voters of the village may vote to retain a village form of government. The issue may be placed before the voters by a resolution adopted by the village board of trustees or by petition signed by one-fourth of the registered voters of the village.
(2) The petitions under subsection (1) of this section shall conform to section 32-628. The Secretary of State shall design the form to be used for the petitions. Petition signers and petition circulators shall conform to the requirements of sections 32-629 and 32-630. The village board of trustees shall submit the petitions to the election commissioner or county clerk for signature verification pursuant to section 32-631. The required number of signatures shall be one-fourth of the number of voters registered in the village at the last statewide general election. The election commissioner or county clerk shall notify the village board of trustees within thirty days after receiving the petitions from the village board of trustees whether the required number of signatures has been gathered. The village shall reimburse the county for any costs incurred by the election commissioner or county clerk.
(3) If the village board of trustees determines that the petitions are in proper form and signed by the necessary number of registered voters or after adoption of the resolution by the village board of trustees, the village board of trustees shall submit the question to the voters of whether to retain the village form of government at a special election pursuant to section 32-559 or at the same time as a local or statewide primary or general election held in the village. The form of the ballot at such election shall be For retention of village government and Against retention of village government. If the majority of the votes cast are for retention of village government, then such village shall remain a village and be governed under the laws of this state applicable to villages unless at some future election such village votes to reorganize as a city of the second class in the manner provided in section 17-313.
(4) If the question to retain a village form of government is submitted at a special election, such election shall be held not later than October 15 of an odd-numbered year. If the question is rejected, city of the second class officials shall be elected at the next regularly scheduled election.
(5) If the question to retain a village form of government is submitted at a regularly scheduled election, no village trustees shall be elected at such election, but village trustees whose terms are to expire following such election shall hold office until either their successors or a mayor and city council members take office as follows:
(a) If the question is rejected, the village board of trustees shall call a special election, to be held not more than eight months after the election at which the question was rejected, for the purpose of electing a mayor and city council members under the provisions of law relating to cities of the second class. The terms of office for such officials shall be established pursuant to section 17-311. The members of the village board of trustees shall hold office only until the newly elected mayor and city council members assume office; and
(b) If the question is approved, the village board of trustees shall call a special election, to be held not more than eight months after the election at which the question was approved, for the purpose of electing successors to those members of the village board of trustees who held office beyond the normal expiration of their terms. Such special election shall be conducted under the provisions of law relating to villages. Persons so elected shall take office as soon after the completion of the canvass of the votes as is practicable, and their terms of office shall be as if the holdovers had not occurred.
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