Whenever a petition, signed by at least fifteen per centum (15%) of the qualified electors of any municipality as evidenced by the total number of votes cast for members of the General Assembly, at the then next preceding general election held for the election of all of the members of the General Assembly, in such municipality, shall be presented to the governing board or body thereof, requesting a referendum on the question hereinafter stated, such governing board or body shall adopt forthwith a resolution directing the clerk of the county in which such municipality is situated to print, pursuant to Title 19, Elections, hereinafter referred to as the “general election law,” upon the official ballot to be used in such municipality at the next ensuing general election a question to read: “Shall the retail sale of alcoholic beverages other than brewed malt alcoholic beverages and naturally fermented wine, for consumption on the licensed premises by the glass or other open receptacle pursuant to chapter one of the Title Intoxicating Liquors of the Revised Statutes (s. 33:1-1 et seq.), be permitted in this municipality?” Thereupon the clerk or secretary of said governing board or body shall forthwith deliver to the county clerk a certified copy of such resolution. If the copy shall be delivered to the county clerk not less than thirty days before such general election, he shall cause such question to be printed in an appropriate place on the ballot to be used in such municipality at the next ensuing general election pursuant to the general election law and thereupon all proceedings with respect to the referendum on such question shall be subject to and governed by the general election law as in other cases of the submission of public questions to the electorate.

If a majority of the legal voters voting upon the question shall vote “Yes,” the clerk of the governing board or body of such municipality shall forthwith in writing notify the commissioner and municipal board, if any, having authority to issue such licenses, of the action taken by the legal voters of such municipality and the retail sales as aforesaid of such alcoholic beverages and the issuing of licenses pursuant to this chapter shall be permitted in such municipality.

If a majority of the legal voters voting upon the question shall vote “No,” then the clerk of the governing board or body of the municipality shall forthwith in writing notify the commissioner and municipal board, if any, having authority to issue such licenses, of the action taken by the legal voters of the municipality, and after thirty days have elapsed after the date of such vote the retail sale of alcoholic beverages, other than brewed malt alcoholic beverages and naturally fermented wines, for consumption on the licensed premises by the glass or other open receptacle (such retail sale being sometimes hereinafter called “prohibited sale” ), shall be unlawful in such municipality and constitute a violation of this chapter, and it shall forthwith upon such vote be unlawful for the other issuing authority of the municipality, having authority to issue licenses, to issue any license in respect to such municipality which shall permit such prohibited sale, and all licenses theretofore issued in respect to such municipality which shall have licensed such prohibited sale shall, to the extent that they permitted such prohibited sale, become void and inoperative thirty days after the date of such vote.

Whenever a referendum shall have been had in any municipality pursuant to this section, no further referendum on the same question shall be held therein prior to the general election to be held in such municipality in the fifth year thereafter and so long as such referendum remains effective, all ordinances, resolutions or regulations inconsistent with the result of such referendum shall have no effect within such municipality.

Amended by L.1948, c. 20, p. 71, s. 1; L.1949, c. 296, p. 898, s. 1, eff. June 14, 1949.