§ 651. Petition. Upon the filing with the clerk of the board of
supervisors of a petition signed by electors of the county equal in
number to at least ten per centum of the whole number of votes cast in
the county for governor at the last gubernatorial election asking that a
referendum be held on the question of adopting one of the alternative
forms of county government authorized by this chapter, with or without
variations, the board of supervisors shall cause the question to be
submitted to the electors of the county in the manner hereinafter
provided. Proceedings may be instituted and maintained to contest the
sufficiency and validity of any petition in the manner provided in the
election law, as though such petition were a designating petition. If
the petition be sufficient and valid, the board of supervisors shall by
resolution cause the question to be submitted to the electors of the
county for approval or disapproval at the next general election
occurring in an odd-numbered year and not less than sixty days after the
date on which the petition is filed.