§ 3-14-19 — Abandonment of commission-manager government

A. Within ten days of the verification of a petition submitted to the municipal clerk and signed by thirty percent of the qualified electors of the municipality, the commission shall adopt an election resolution calling for the holding of a special election to vote on the question of abandoning the commission-manager form of government. The election shall be held in June or July in odd-numbered years or July or August in even- numbered years in accordance with the provisions of the Local Election Act [Chapter 1, Article 22 NMSA 1978]. B. If a majority of the votes cast at the special election favors abandonment of the commission-manager form of government, the form of government reverts to that form of government existing immediately preceding the adoption of the commission-manager form of government after the election and taking office of the new officers and the commission shall adopt an election resolution calling for the holding of an election to elect new officers, which shall be held at the first regular local or general election following adoption of the resolution. C. The election shall be held in the same manner as regular local elections are held as provided in the Local Election Act. The mayor and one-half of the members of the governing body shall hold office until the next regular local election and the remaining one-half of the members of the governing body shall hold office until the succeeding regular local election. The terms of the members of the governing body shall be determined by lot after their election. D. No election shall be held upon the question of abandoning the commission- manager form of government within two years after an election has been held adopting the commission-manager form of government or confirming its continued existence.

Legislative History

1953 Comp., § 14-13-19, enacted by Laws 1965, ch. 300; 1985, ch. 208, §