40A:14-72 Fire district elections.

40A:14-72. a. An election shall be held annually either on the third Saturday in February or at the time of the general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each established fire district for the election of members of the board according to the expiration of terms. The initial election for a newly created fire district may take place on another date as a governing body may specify under N.J.S.40A:14-70, but the annual election thereafter shall be held either on the third Saturday in February or at the time of the general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

b. For an election held at a time other than at the time of the general election, the place of the election shall be determined by the board and a notice thereof, and of the closing date for the filing with the clerk of the board of petitions of nomination for membership on the board, shall be published at least once in a newspaper circulating in the district, at least six weeks prior to the date fixed for the election.

c. For an election held at the time of the general election, the place of the election shall be determined pursuant to R.S.19:8-1 et seq. and notice thereof shall be published pursuant to R.S.19:12-7. Notice of the closing date for the filing, with the county clerk, of nominations by petition for direct nomination for membership on the board shall be published by the board at least once in a newspaper circulating in the district, at least 21 days prior to the date by which such nominations are required to be filed with the county clerk.

d. Fire districts located in the same municipality may combine the publication of their notices of election. For the purpose of this section, "notices of election" shall include the notices required to be published under section 6 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-6).

e. The legal voters at an annual election held on the third Saturday in February shall determine the amount of money to be raised for the ensuing year and determine such other matters as may be required. If the amount of money to be raised for the ensuing year exceeds the permissible property tax levy increase as determined pursuant to section 10 of P.L.2007, c.62 (C.40A:4-45.45), a public question shall be submitted to the legal voters to increase the amount to be raised by taxation by more than the allowable adjusted tax levy.

f. If a fire district holds its annual election at the time of the general election, then the legal voters shall determine the amount of money to be raised for the ensuing year only by such amount that exceeds the permissible property tax levy increase as determined pursuant to section 10 of P.L.2007, c.62 (C.40A:4-45.45). The legal voters shall determine whether to increase the amount to be raised by taxation by more than the allowable adjusted tax levy for the ensuing year through the submission of a public question. The board of fire commissioners of the fire district shall notify the county or municipal clerk, as appropriate, of the need to conduct a referendum pursuant to this subsection at least 60 days before the date of the referendum. A referendum conducted pursuant to this subsection shall be held on the third Saturday in February of the budget year in which the levy increase would apply.

amended 1973, c.25, s.1; 1973, c.235, s.2; 1985, c.288, s.3; 1994, c.181; 2017, c.206, s.11.