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Charter reviewers split on citizen-initiative thresholds; referendum set at 10%, recall threshold lowered to 5%

3221887 · May 7, 2025
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Commissioners debated lowering signature thresholds for citizen initiative, referendum and recall. A motion to cut initiative signatures to 5% failed. The commission settled on a 10% threshold for referendum petitions and voted to lower recall signatures to 5%, with the initiative threshold left at 10%.

The Charter Review Commission debated whether citizen-initiated petitions and citizen-led referendums should require smaller signature thresholds to qualify for placement on the ballot.

Commissioner Mike Slutter and others pressed for lower thresholds (5 percent) arguing smaller minority or underrepresented groups might otherwise lack realistic access to the process as the city grows. Opponents warned that a low threshold would let small but organized interest groups force costly or ill-timed public…

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