Petition to refer ordinance - Suspension of ordinance - Requirements of petition
N.D. Cent. Code § 40-12-08
in effect40-12-08. Petition to refer ordinance - Suspension of ordinance - Requirements of
petition.
An ordinance which has been adopted by the governing body of a municipality may be
referred to the qualified electors of the municipality by a petition protesting against such
ordinance. Such petition shall be signed by qualified electors of the municipality equal to at least
ten percent of the entire vote cast for all candidates for executive officer of the municipality at
the preceding regular municipal election and shall be presented to the governing body of the
municipality within ten days and before four p.m. on the tenth day after the ordinance described
in the petition became effective. If a petition is mailed to the governing body of the municipality,
it shall be in the possession of such body before four p.m. on the tenth day after the ordinance
became effective. Unless the ordinance protested against was passed by a four-fifths vote of
the members of the governing body of the municipality for the immediate preservation of the
public peace, health, and safety and contains a statement of its urgency, it shall be suspended
upon the filing of the petition. The petition provided for in this section shall be in all respects in
accordance with the provisions of sections 40-12-02, 40-12-03, and 40-12-04, except as to the
number of signers required, and shall be examined and certified by the city auditor in all
respects as provided in section 40-12-05.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t40c12.pdf#nameddest=40-12-08Fetched: 10/16/2026