(a) The question of licensing the sale at retail of alcoholic liquor in the original package shall be submitted by the governing body of a city at any regular general city election occurring in such city whenever a petition requesting such submission has been filed with the city clerk of any such city as provided in this section. Such petition shall be signed by qualified voters of such city equal in number to not less than 30% of the total vote cast in such city at the last general election for the office of secretary of state. Each sheet of each petition shall comply with the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 25-3601 through 25-3607, and amendments thereto. No signature on such petition shall be valid unless appended to the petition within the last 90 days prior to the date of filing the petition with the city clerk. Such petition shall be filed not less than 40 nor more than 60 days prior to the date of the election. After any such petition has been filed no signature shall be withdrawn and no signature shall be added. The governing body of the city shall have the power to determine the sufficiency of any such petition.

Any person who signs a petition authorized by this section and who knowingly is not a qualified voter of the city where submission of the question is sought, or who aids or abets any other in so doing, or any person who bribes, gives or pays any money or thing of value to any person directly or indirectly to induce such person to sign such petition shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Upon conviction thereof such person shall be punished by a fine of not more than $300 or by imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

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(b) Upon the filing of a sufficient petition, the governing body shall call an election required by this section. Such election shall be called and held in the manner provided by law for question-submitted elections.

(c) The governing body of the city shall transmit to the director a copy of the results of any election held pursuant to this section. The director shall issue or refuse to issue licenses to sell at retail alcoholic liquor in the original package in such city in accordance with the results of such election.

(d) If a majority of the voters voting at any election pursuant to this section votes against licensing the sale at retail of alcoholic liquor in the original package, the holder of any valid existing retailer’s license for premises in such city shall have the right to continue to operate under such license for a period of 90 days after the result of such election is canvassed or until the expiration of such license, whichever period of time is shorter. If such period of time expires before the expiration of the term for which the retailer’s license was issued, the licensee shall be entitled to a refund of the licensee fee for the unexpired portion of the license period which remains, in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the secretary of revenue.