THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                     697

municipal corporation, OR MAILED TO IT BY REGISTERED
MAIL, a petition meeting the requirements of this section. The
petition shall be signed by ten TWENTY percentum or more of the
persons who are registered QUALIFIED to vote in municipal general
elections of the particular municipal corporation and shall request
that the proposed amendment or amendments be submitted on refer-
endum to the voters of the municipal corporation. Each person
signing the petition shall indicate thereon both his name and resi-
dence address. Upon receiving the petition for a referendum, the
legislative body of the municipal corporation is directed to verify
that any person who signed it is registered QUALIFIED to vote in
its municipal general elections and shall consider the petition as of
no effect if it is signed by fewer than ten TWENTY percentum of
the persons who are registered QUALIFIED to vote in municipal
general elections. If the petition for a referendum complies with
the requirements of this section, the legislative body shall by reso-
lution, passed as in its normal legislative procedure, specify the
day and the hours for the election at which the question shall be sub-
mitted to the voters of the municipal corporation. This may be at
either the next regular municipal general election or at a special
election, in the discretion of the legislative body. In the event a
special election is designated, it shall be held within a period of not
less than forty days nor more than sixty days after the final passage
of the resolution providing for the referendum. The resolution provid-
ing for the referendum shall specify the exact wording which is to be
placed on the ballots or voting machines when the question is sub-
mitted to the voters of the municipal corporation.

14. (Initiation by Petition.) (A) Ten TWENTY percentum or more
of the persons who are registered QUALIFIED to vote in municipal
general elections in the particular municipal corporation may initiate
a proposed amendment or amendments to the municipal charter, by
a petition presented to the legislative body of the municipal corpo-
ration, by whatever name known. The petition shall contain the
complete and exact wording of the proposed amendment or amend-
ments. Each person signing it shall indicate thereon both his name
and residence address. Upon receiving the petition, the legislative
body is directed to verify that any person who signed it is registered
QUALIFIED to vote in municipal general elections, and shall con-
sider the petition as of no effect if it is signed by fewer than ten
TWENTY percentum of the persons who are registered QUALIFIED
to vote in municipal general elections. If the petition complies with
the requirements of this section, the legislative body shall by resolu-
tion, passed as in its normal legislative procedure, AND NOT LATER
THAN SIXTY DAYS AFTER THE PETITION SHALL HAVE
BEEN PRESENTED TO IT, specify the day and the hours for
the election at which the question shall be submitted to the voters
of the municipal corporation. This may be at either the next
regular municipal general election or at a special election, in the
discretion of the legislative body. In the event a special election
is designated, it shall be within a period of not less than forty
days nor more than sixty days after the final passage of the reso-
lution. In the resolution, the exact wording shall be specified which
is to be placed on the ballots or voting machines when the question is
submitted to the voters of the municipal corporation.