12-1-1: 
The voters of the town shall have the power to propose by-laws and other measures within the authority of the town council by initiative petition and to review by-laws and other measures as set forth in section 12-4-1 of this charter by referendum in accordance with the procedures established by this charter.
12-1-2: 
At any election at which an initiative petition or a referendum is submitted to the voters the polls shall be opened at seven o’clock in the morning and shall be closed not earlier than eight o’clock in the evening, and all votes upon any questions so submitted shall be taken by ballot.
12-2-1: 
None of the following shall be subject to the initiative or the referendum procedures: (1) proceedings relating to the internal organization or operation of the town council or of the school committee; (2) an emergency measure adopted in conformity with the charter; (3) the town budget or the school committee budget as a whole; (4) revenue loan orders; (5) any appropriation for the payment of the town’s debt or debt service; (6) an appropriation of funds to implement a collective bargaining agreement; (7) proceedings relating to the election, appointment, removal, discharge, employment, promotion, transfer, demotion or other personnel action; (8) any proceedings repealing or rescinding a measure or part thereof which is protested by referendum procedures, and ( 9) any proceeding providing for the submission or referral to the voters at an election.
12-3-1: 
The voters of the town may initiate legislation by submitting a petition to the town council which requests the submission of the proposed by-law or measure to a vote of the town council. Said petition must be signed by qualified voters of the town equal in number to not less than five percent of the total number of voters registered at the last regular town election. Each copy of the petition shall have attached to it a copy of the proposed legislation. Said petition shall then be filed with the board of registrars of voters for certification.
12-3-2: 
Within ten days from such filing, the board of registrars of voters shall check each name to be certified, and shall certify thereon the number of signatures so checked, and shall report the results to the persons filing the petition, the town clerk and the town council.
12-3-3: 
Upon presentation of the certified petition to the town council, it shall become the duty of the town council, within thirty days of receipt thereof, to pass and adopt or reject such by-law or measure without alteration as to meaning or effect. Should the town council reject the proposed legislation, it shall be the further duty of the town council to forthwith submit the question to a vote at the next regular town election at which the qualified voters of Southbridge shall vote on the question of adopting or rejecting the proposed legislation.
12-4-1: 
A vote passed by the town council authorizing the expenditure of two hundred fifty thousand ($250,000.00) dollars or more as a special appropriation or establishing a new board or office or abolishing an old board or office or merging two or more boards or offices, or fixing the term of town officers, where such term is optional, or increasing or reducing the number of members of a board, or adopting a new by-law, or amending an existing by-law, shall not be operative until after the expiration of fourteen days.
12-4-2: 
If, within said fourteen days, a petition, signed by not less than five percent of the registered voters of the town, containing their names and addresses as they appear on the list of registered voters, is filed with the town clerk asking that the question or questions involved in such a vote be submitted to the registered voters of the town at large, then the town council, after the expiration of fourteen days, shall forthwith call a special election for the sole purpose of presenting to the registered voters at large the question or questions so involved.
12-4-3: 
Each copy of the referendum petition shall have attached to it a copy of a brief description of the substance of the town council vote sought to be reviewed. The town clerk shall forthwith, upon the receipt of a referendum petition, cause the signatures appearing thereon to be certified by the board of registrars of voters who shall certify thereon within ten days the number of signatures so checked and shall report the results to the persons filing the petition, the town clerk and the town council. Upon presentation of the certified referendum petition to the town council it shall become the duty of the town council within thirty days after the receipt thereof to order a special election as aforesaid.
12-4-4: 
The questions so submitted shall be determined by a majority vote of the registered voters of the town voting thereon, but no action of the town council shall be reversed unless at least twenty-five percent of the registered voters shall vote. Each question so submitted shall be in the form of the following question which shall be placed upon the official ballot: "Shall the town vote to approve the action of the town council whereby it was voted (brief description of the substance of the vote)? If such petition is not filed within said period of fourteen days, the vote of the town council shall become operative and effective upon the expiration of said period.
12-5-1: 
This charter may be revised or amended with the provisions of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the Constitution and General Laws implementing said amendment.
12-5-2: 
The chairperson of the town council shall appoint a charter review committee every five years. The committee shall consist of five members, and shall report its recommendations to the town council within one year from the date of its appointment.
12-5-3: 
In every year following the issuance of a report by a charter review committee, the chairperson of the town council shall appoint a by-law review committee. The committee shall consist of five members, and shall report its recommendations to the town council within one year from the date of its appointment.
12-6-1: 
If any provision of this charter is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction such holding shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this charter.
12-7-1: 
To the extent that any specific provision of this charter shall conflict with any general provision thereof, the specific provision shall prevail.
12-8-1: 
In counting days under this charter, every calendar day shall be counted, including Sundays and all holidays.