If a petition signed by fifteen percent of the registered voters of any municipality, as determined by the total number of registered voters at the last preceding general election, is presented requesting that an election be called to vote on the question of employing a city manager, the governing body must call an election to be held within fifty days from the date of the filing of the petition with the municipal finance officer. At that election, the question must be submitted to the voters. No petition is valid if filed more than six months after the circulation start date declared on the petition forms. If the petition is filed on or after January first prior to the regular municipal election and within sufficient time to comply with the provisions of chapter 9-13, the question must be submitted at that election. The election must be held upon the same notice and conducted in the same manner as a regular municipal election. The vote must be by ballot, in the form and cast in the manner provided by chapter 9-13.

Source: SL 1918, ch 57 , § 1; RC 1919, § 6231; SL 1935, ch 158 , §§ 2, 11; SDC 1939, § 45.0901; SL 1988, ch 63 , § 5; SL 1992, ch 60 , § 2; SL 2006, ch 29 , § 5; SL 2011, ch 42 , § 1, eff. March 14, 2011; SL 2025, ch 38 , § 39; SL 2026, ch 32 , § 13.