I. The municipal officers may determine that the revision of the municipal charter is necessary or that adoption of a new municipal charter is necessary and, by order, provide for the establishment of a charter commission to carry out such purpose as provided in this chapter; or II. On the written petition of a number of voters equal to at least 20 percent of the number of votes cast in the municipality at the last regular municipal election, but in no case less than 10 voters, the municipal officers shall, by order, provide for the establishment of a charter commission for the revision of the municipal charter or for the preparation of a new municipal charter in the form and manner provided in this chapter. III. The following procedure shall be used in the alternative method set out in paragraph II. (a) Any 5 voters of the municipality may file with the municipal clerk an affidavit stating they will constitute the petitioners' committee, circulate the petition and file it in proper form. The affidavit shall state the names and addresses of the members and specify the address to which all notices to the committee are to be sent. The petitioners' committee may designate additional voters of the municipality, who are not members of the committee, to circulate the petition. Promptly after the affidavit is filed, the clerk shall issue petition blanks to the committee. (b) The petition forms shall be printed on paper of uniform size and may consist of as many individual sheets as are reasonably necessary. Petition forms shall be prepared by the municipal clerk at the expense of the municipality. (1) Petition forms shall carry the following legend in bold lettering at the copy of each form on the face thereof. Municipality of .......... ""Each of the undersigned voters respectfully requests the municipal officers to establish a charter commission for the purpose of revising the municipal charter or preparing a new municipal charter.'' Each signature affixed to a petition shall be in ink or other indelible instrument and shall be followed by the place of domicile of the voter with street and number, if any. No petition shall contain any party or political designation. (2) The clerk shall note the date of each petition form issued and all petitions, unless sooner filed, shall become null and void for every purpose on the 120th day after the date of issue. (3) Each petition form shall have printed on its back an affidavit to be executed by the circulator, stating that he personally circulated the paper, the number of signatures thereon, that all the signatures were affixed in his presence, that he believes them to be genuine signatures of the persons whose names they purport to be, that each signer has signed no more than one petition, and that each signer had an opportunity before signing to read the petition. (4) Petition forms shall be assembled as one instrument and filed at one time with the clerk. The clerk shall note thereon the date of filing. IV. Within 20 days after the petition is filed, the clerk shall complete a certificate as to its sufficiency, specifying, if it is insufficient, the particulars wherein it is defective, shall promptly send a copy of the certificate to the petitioners' committee by mail, and shall file a copy with the municipal officers. (a) A petition certified insufficient for lack of the required number of valid signatures may be amended once if the petitioners' committee files a notice of intention to amend it with the clerk within 2 days after receiving the copy of his certificate. Within 10 days after the date of filing of the notice of intention, the committee may file a supplementary petition to correct the deficiencies in the original petition. Such supplementary petition shall in form and content comply with the requirements for an original petition under paragraph III. (b) Within 5 days after the filing of a supplementary petition the clerk shall complete and file a certificate as to its sufficiency in the manner provided for in an original petition. (c) When an original or supplementary petition has been certified insufficient, the committee may, within 2 days after receiving the copy of the clerk's certificate, file a request with the municipal officers for review. The municipal officers shall inspect the petitions and shall make due certificate thereof, copies of which shall be filed with the municipal clerk and mailed to the committee. The certificate of the municipal officers shall be a final determination of the sufficiency of the petitions. (d) Any petitions finally determined to be insufficient shall become null and void and of no further force or effect. Such petitions shall be stamped void by the clerk and shall be sealed and retained by the clerk in the manner required for secret ballots. V. Within 30 days after the adoption of an order under paragraph I or the receipt of a certificate or final determination of sufficiency under paragraph IV, the municipal officers shall by order submit the question for establishment of a charter commission to the voters at the next regular municipal election or, in the case of municipalities with biennial elections, at the next regular state biennial election, if such election is held not less than 60 days nor more than 180 days thereafter. Otherwise, the municipal officers shall by order submit the question for establishment of a charter commission to the voters at a special municipal election held not less than 60 days nor more than 90 days after the adoption of such an order or receipt of such a certificate of final determination. The question to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows: ""Shall a charter commission be established for the purpose of revising the municipal charter or establishing a new municipal charter?'' VI. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, for the purposes of establishing a charter commission to amend or adopt a charter relative to official ballot town council under RSA 49-D:3, I-a, official ballot town meeting under RSA 49-D:3, II-a, budgetary official ballot village district meeting under RSA 52:2-a, or budgetary official ballot school district meeting under RSA 197:5-b only, the question of whether to establish a charter commission and the election of charter commission members shall be placed on the same ballot. No other issues shall be addressed by a charter commission established under this paragraph. The question on the establishment of a charter commission to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows: ""Shall a charter commission be established for the sole purpose of establishing official ballot voting under the current form of government?''
I. The municipal officers may determine that the revision of the municipal charter is necessary or that adoption of a new municipal charter is necessary and, by order, provide for the establishment of a charter commission to carry out such purpose as provided in this chapter; or II. On the written petition of a number of voters equal to at least 20 percent of the number of votes cast in the municipality at the last regular municipal election, but in no case less than 10 voters, the municipal officers shall, by order, provide for the establishment of a charter commission for the revision of the municipal charter or for the preparation of a new municipal charter in the form and manner provided in this chapter. III. The following procedure shall be used in the alternative method set out in paragraph II. (a) Any 5 voters of the municipality may file with the municipal clerk an affidavit stating they will constitute the petitioners' committee, circulate the petition and file it in proper form. The affidavit shall state the names and addresses of the members and specify the address to which all notices to the committee are to be sent. The petitioners' committee may designate additional voters of the municipality, who are not members of the committee, to circulate the petition. Promptly after the affidavit is filed, the clerk shall issue petition blanks to the committee. (b) The petition forms shall be printed on paper of uniform size and may consist of as many individual sheets as are reasonably necessary. Petition forms shall be prepared by the municipal clerk at the expense of the municipality. (1) Petition forms shall carry the following legend in bold lettering at the copy of each form on the face thereof. Municipality of .......... ""Each of the undersigned voters respectfully requests the municipal officers to establish a charter commission for the purpose of revising the municipal charter or preparing a new municipal charter.'' Each signature affixed to a petition shall be in ink or other indelible instrument and shall be followed by the place of domicile of the voter with street and number, if any. No petition shall contain any party or political designation. (2) The clerk shall note the date of each petition form issued and all petitions, unless sooner filed, shall become null and void for every purpose on the 120th day after the date of issue. (3) Each petition form shall have printed on its back an affidavit to be executed by the circulator, stating that he personally circulated the paper, the number of signatures thereon, that all the signatures were affixed in his presence, that he believes them to be genuine signatures of the persons whose names they purport to be, that each signer has signed no more than one petition, and that each signer had an opportunity before signing to read the petition. (4) Petition forms shall be assembled as one instrument and filed at one time with the clerk. The clerk shall note thereon the date of filing. IV. Within 20 days after the petition is filed, the clerk shall complete a certificate as to its sufficiency, specifying, if it is insufficient, the particulars wherein it is defective, shall promptly send a copy of the certificate to the petitioners' committee by mail, and shall file a copy with the municipal officers. (a) A petition certified insufficient for lack of the required number of valid signatures may be amended once if the petitioners' committee files a notice of intention to amend it with the clerk within 2 days after receiving the copy of his certificate. Within 10 days after the date of filing of the notice of intention, the committee may file a supplementary petition to correct the deficiencies in the original petition. Such supplementary petition shall in form and content comply with the requirements for an original petition under paragraph III. (b) Within 5 days after the filing of a supplementary petition the clerk shall complete and file a certificate as to its sufficiency in the manner provided for in an original petition. (c) When an original or supplementary petition has been certified insufficient, the committee may, within 2 days after receiving the copy of the clerk's certificate, file a request with the municipal officers for review. The municipal officers shall inspect the petitions and shall make due certificate thereof, copies of which shall be filed with the municipal clerk and mailed to the committee. The certificate of the municipal officers shall be a final determination of the sufficiency of the petitions. (d) Any petitions finally determined to be insufficient shall become null and void and of no further force or effect. Such petitions shall be stamped void by the clerk and shall be sealed and retained by the clerk in the manner required for secret ballots. V. Within 30 days after the adoption of an order under paragraph I or the receipt of a certificate or final determination of sufficiency under paragraph IV, the municipal officers shall by order submit the question for establishment of a charter commission to the voters at the next regular municipal election or, in the case of municipalities with biennial elections, at the next regular state biennial election, if such election is held not less than 60 days nor more than 180 days thereafter. Otherwise, the municipal officers shall by order submit the question for establishment of a charter commission to the voters at a special municipal election held not less than 60 days nor more than 90 days after the adoption of such an order or receipt of such a certificate of final determination. The question to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows: ""Shall a charter commission be established for the purpose of revising the municipal charter or establishing a new municipal charter?'' VI. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, for the purposes of establishing a charter commission to amend or adopt a charter relative to official ballot town council under RSA 49-D:3, I-a, official ballot town meeting under RSA 49-D:3, II-a, budgetary official ballot village district meeting under RSA 52:2-a, or budgetary official ballot school district meeting under RSA 197:5-b only, the question of whether to establish a charter commission and the election of charter commission members shall be placed on the same ballot. No other issues shall be addressed by a charter commission established under this paragraph. The question on the establishment of a charter commission to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows: ""Shall a charter commission be established for the sole purpose of establishing official ballot voting under the current form of government?''
I. The municipal officers may determine that the revision of the municipal charter is necessary or that adoption of a new municipal charter is necessary and, by order, provide for the establishment of a charter commission to carry out such purpose as provided in this chapter; or II. On the written petition of a number of voters equal to at least 20 percent of the number of votes cast in the municipality at the last regular municipal election, but in no case less than 10 voters, the municipal officers shall, by order, provide for the establishment of a charter commission for the revision of the municipal charter or for the preparation of a new municipal charter in the form and manner provided in this chapter. III. The following procedure shall be used in the alternative method set out in paragraph II. (a) Any 5 voters of the municipality may file with the municipal clerk an affidavit stating they will constitute the petitioners' committee, circulate the petition and file it in proper form. The affidavit shall state the names and addresses of the members and specify the address to which all notices to the committee are to be sent. The petitioners' committee may designate additional voters of the municipality, who are not members of the committee, to circulate the petition. Promptly after the affidavit is filed, the clerk shall issue petition blanks to the committee. (b) The petition forms shall be printed on paper of uniform size and may consist of as many individual sheets as are reasonably necessary. Petition forms shall be prepared by the municipal clerk at the expense of the municipality. (1) Petition forms shall carry the following legend in bold lettering at the copy of each form on the face thereof. Municipality of .......... ""Each of the undersigned voters respectfully requests the municipal officers to establish a charter commission for the purpose of revising the municipal charter or preparing a new municipal charter.'' Each signature affixed to a petition shall be in ink or other indelible instrument and shall be followed by the place of domicile of the voter with street and number, if any. No petition shall contain any party or political designation. (2) The clerk shall note the date of each petition form issued and all petitions, unless sooner filed, shall become null and void for every purpose on the 120th day after the date of issue. (3) Each petition form shall have printed on its back an affidavit to be executed by the circulator, stating that he personally circulated the paper, the number of signatures thereon, that all the signatures were affixed in his presence, that he believes them to be genuine signatures of the persons whose names they purport to be, that each signer has signed no more than one petition, and that each signer had an opportunity before signing to read the petition. (4) Petition forms shall be assembled as one instrument and filed at one time with the clerk. The clerk shall note thereon the date of filing. IV. Within 20 days after the petition is filed, the clerk shall complete a certificate as to its sufficiency, specifying, if it is insufficient, the particulars wherein it is defective, shall promptly send a copy of the certificate to the petitioners' committee by mail, and shall file a copy with the municipal officers. (a) A petition certified insufficient for lack of the required number of valid signatures may be amended once if the petitioners' committee files a notice of intention to amend it with the clerk within 2 days after receiving the copy of his certificate. Within 10 days after the date of filing of the notice of intention, the committee may file a supplementary petition to correct the deficiencies in the original petition. Such supplementary petition shall in form and content comply with the requirements for an original petition under paragraph III. (b) Within 5 days after the filing of a supplementary petition the clerk shall complete and file a certificate as to its sufficiency in the manner provided for in an original petition. (c) When an original or supplementary petition has been certified insufficient, the committee may, within 2 days after receiving the copy of the clerk's certificate, file a request with the municipal officers for review. The municipal officers shall inspect the petitions and shall make due certificate thereof, copies of which shall be filed with the municipal clerk and mailed to the committee. The certificate of the municipal officers shall be a final determination of the sufficiency of the petitions. (d) Any petitions finally determined to be insufficient shall become null and void and of no further force or effect. Such petitions shall be stamped void by the clerk and shall be sealed and retained by the clerk in the manner required for secret ballots. V. Within 30 days after the adoption of an order under paragraph I or the receipt of a certificate or final determination of sufficiency under paragraph IV, the municipal officers shall by order submit the question for establishment of a charter commission to the voters at the next regular municipal election or, in the case of municipalities with biennial elections, at the next regular state biennial election, if such election is held not less than 60 days nor more than 180 days thereafter. Otherwise, the municipal officers shall by order submit the question for establishment of a charter commission to the voters at a special municipal election held not less than 60 days nor more than 90 days after the adoption of such an order or receipt of such a certificate of final determination. The question to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows: ""Shall a charter commission be established for the purpose of revising the municipal charter or establishing a new municipal charter?'' VI. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, for the purposes of establishing a charter commission to amend or adopt a charter relative to official ballot town council under RSA 49-D:3, I-a, official ballot town meeting under RSA 49-D:3, II-a, budgetary official ballot village district meeting under RSA 52:2-a, or budgetary official ballot school district meeting under RSA 197:5-b only, the question of whether to establish a charter commission and the election of charter commission members shall be placed on the same ballot. No other issues shall be addressed by a charter commission established under this paragraph. The question on the establishment of a charter commission to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows: ""Shall a charter commission be established for the sole purpose of establishing official ballot voting under the current form of government?''
