22-416. Consolidated office; withdrawal of county; procedure; effect.
The question of the withdrawal of a county from an agreement for the joint performance of common functions or services or the consolidation of county or township offices shall be placed on the ballot for submission to the voters upon the petition of registered voters equal in number, in the county desiring to so withdraw, to ten percent of the total vote cast for Governor in such county at the preceding general election. The registered voters signing such petitions shall be so distributed as to include ten percent of the registered voters of each of one-half of the voting precincts in the county. Such petitions shall be filed with the election commissioner or county clerk of the county proposed to be withdrawn from the agreement not later than four months preceding the next general election or at a special election. The election commissioner or county clerk shall examine the petitions filed in his or her office to determine whether they are in proper form and signed by a sufficient number of registered voters. Not later than thirty days after the petitions are filed in his or her office, he or she shall certify the determination to the election commissioner or county clerk of each county which is part of the agreement. If the petitions are in proper form and signed by a sufficient number of registered voters, the question of the withdrawal of the county from the agreement shall be placed on the ballot in the county proposed to be withdrawn from the agreement at the next general election or at a special election called for such purpose and held at least four months after the filing of the petitions. A majority of all votes cast in the affirmative on the question shall be necessary for the withdrawal of the county from the agreement. The election commissioner or county clerk of the county which votes to withdraw from the agreement shall certify the results of the election to the other counties in the agreement. If the agreement involved the consolidation of offices, such withdrawal shall only be effective at the expiration of a term of office of the consolidated counties.
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