In event that in any municipality a majority of all the votes cast both for and against the question shall be cast against the question at any election at which said question is submitted, said question may again be submitted to the legal voters of the municipality at a general election held not earlier than the date upon which the third general election, following the date of the election at which the question was submitted, is to be held, if there shall be filed with the clerk of the municipality not less than 45 days prior to such general election a petition requesting the submission of the same signed by at least 15% of the qualified legal voters of the municipality as evidenced by the total number of votes cast at the then next preceding general election held therein.
N.J.S. § 5:8-71