Sec. 10.1. (a) If a majority of the voters voting on the public question under section 8 of this chapter vote “yes”, the county executive shall adopt an ordinance incorporating the town.

     (b) An ordinance adopted under subsection (a) must:

(1) either:

(A) provide that all members of the town legislative body are to be elected at large (if the town would have a population of less than three thousand five hundred (3,500); or

(B) divide the town into not less than three (3) nor more than seven (7) districts; and

(2) direct the county election board to conduct an election in the town on the date of the next general or municipal election to be held in any precincts in the county.

An election conducted under this section must comply with IC 3 concerning town elections. If the date that an ordinance is adopted under this section is not later than June 1 of a general or municipal election year, the election must be conducted on the date of the next general or municipal election held in any precincts in the county after the election for which absentee balloting is being conducted. However, a primary election may not be conducted before an election conducted under this section, regardless of the population of the town.

     (c) Districts established by an ordinance adopted under this section must comply with IC 3-11-1.5.

     (d) If any territory in the town is not included in one (1) of the districts established under this section, the territory is included in the district that:

(1) is contiguous to that territory; and

(2) contains the least population of all districts contiguous to that territory.

     (e) If any territory in the town is included in more than one (1) of the districts established under this section, the territory is included in the district that:

(1) is one (1) of the districts in which the territory is described in the ordinance adopted under this section;

(2) is contiguous to that territory; and

(3) contains the least population of all districts contiguous to that territory.

     (f) An ordinance adopted under this section becomes effective when filed with:

(1) the office of the secretary of state; and

(2) the circuit court clerk of each county in which the town is located.

     (g) Each county that contains a part of the proposed town must adopt identical ordinances providing for the incorporation of the town.

As added by Acts 1980, P.L.2, SEC.16. Amended by P.L.5-1983, SEC.12; P.L.5-1986, SEC.54; P.L.13-1988, SEC.19; P.L.5-1989, SEC.106; P.L.7-1990, SEC.61; P.L.3-1993, SEC.268; P.L.3-1997, SEC.457; P.L.86-1999, SEC.2; P.L.123-2000, SEC.5; P.L.113-2010, SEC.123; P.L.147-2013, SEC.7; P.L.219-2013, SEC.97; P.L.104-2022, SEC.164.