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205.10 MS 1957 [Repealed,1959 c 675 art 13 s 1] <br />205.10 MUNICIPAL SPECIAL ELECTIONS. <br />Subdivision 1.Questions.Special elections may be held in a city or town on a question on which the <br />voters are authorized by law or charter to pass judgment.A special election may be ordered by the governing <br />body of the municipality on its own motion or,on a question that has not been submitted to the voters in an <br />election within the previous six months,upon a petition signed by a number of voters equal to 20 percent <br />of the votes cast at the last municipal general election.A question is carried only with the majority in its <br />favor required by law or charter.The election officials for a special election shall be the same as for the <br />most recent municipal general election unless changed according to law.Otherwise special elections shall <br />be conducted and the returns made in the manner provided for the municipal general election. <br />Subd.2.Vacancies in city offices.Special elections shall be held in statutory cities to fill vacancies in <br />elective city offices as provided in section 412.02,subdivision 2a. <br />Subd.3.[Repealed,2017 c 92 art 2 s 26] <br />Subd.3a.Uniform election dates.(a)Except as allowed in paragraph (b)and subdivision 4,a special <br />election held in a city or town must be held on one of the following dates:the second Tuesday in February, <br />the second Tuesday in April,the second Tuesday in May,the second Tuesday in August,or the first Tuesday <br />after the first Monday in November.A home rule charter city must not designate additional dates in its <br />charter. <br />(b)A special election may be held on a date other than those designated in paragraph (a)if the special <br />election is held in response to an emergency or disaster."Emergency"means an unforeseen combination of <br />circumstances that calls for immediate action to prevent a disaster from developing or occurring."Disaster" <br />means a situation that creates an actual or imminent serious threat to the health and safety of persons or a <br />situation that has resulted or is likely to result in catastrophic loss to property or the environment. <br />Subd.4.Vacancies in town offices.Special elections to fill vacancies in town offices as provided in <br />section 367.03,subdivision 6,must be held with the town general election or on a date authorized by <br />subdivision 3a. <br />Subd.5.Limit on ballot questions.The governing body of a city or town may not act to submit a ballot <br />question at a general or special election and may not accept a petition for submission of a ballot question at <br />a general or special election unless all election-related deadlines can be met,including publication deadlines <br />for all required notices.A petition rejected under this subdivision may be resubmitted at a time when <br />compliance with all election-related deadlines is possible.Nothing in this subdivision requires the scheduling <br />of a special election for a ballot question. <br />Subd.6.Cancellation.A special election ordered by the governing body of the municipality on its own <br />motion under subdivision 1 may be canceled by motion of the governing body,but not less than 74 days <br />before the election. <br />History:1959 c 675 art 6 s 10;1976 c 2 s 74;1976 c 44 s 6;1981 c 29 art 7 s 38;1981 c 172 s 1;1983 <br />c 62 s 4;1993 c 375 art 7 s 7;1994 c 646 s 8,9;1997 c 147 s 42;1999 c 75 s 1;1999 c 132 s 31,32;2003 <br />c 75 s 1;2008 c 244 art 1 s 15;2013 c 131 art 2 s 54;2016 c 161 art 1 s 14;2017 c 92 art 2 s 10,11 <br />Copyright ©2017 by the Revisor of Statutes,State of Minnesota.All Rights Reserved. <br />205.10MINNESOTASTATUTES20171