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 sale of all alcoholic beverages at retail, except for consumption on railroad trains, airplanes and boats, and the issuance of any retail licenses, except as aforesaid, 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 the governing board or body of such municipality shall forthwith deliver to such 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 retail sales of alcoholic beverages and the issuing of retail 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 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 thereupon it shall be unlawful for the other issuing authority of such municipality, having authority to issue plenary retail consumption, plenary retail distribution and limited retail consumption licenses, to issue any such licenses in respect to such municipality, and all such licenses theretofore issued in respect to such municipality shall become void and inoperative thirty days after the date of such vote, and thereupon the municipal board of such municipality shall be dissolved, and the offices of its members shall terminate and all its activities hereunder shall cease; but if in a later referendum held pursuant to this chapter a majority of the legal voters voting upon the same question last above stated shall vote “Yes,” a municipal board for such municipality may forthwith be appointed in the same manner and with the same effect as when this chapter first became effective. Whenever any such license shall become void and inoperative by virtue of such referendum there shall be returned to the licensee the prorated license fee for the unexpired term.

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. 75, s. 3; L.1949, c. 296, p. 902, s. 3.