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City attorney walks council through ballot title parts and charter disclosure rules
Summary
Amanda Veil Hinman, Wilsonville city attorney, explained the three components of a ballot title (caption, question, summary), word limits, county role in ballot content, and charter‑mandated financial disclosures that will accompany the Town Center Development District referral.
City Attorney Amanda Veil Hinman told the council Aug. 5 that a ballot title consists of three components — caption (10 words), question (20 words) and summary (175 words) — and that the county elections officer decides which of those components appear on the ballot.
Hinman explained this referral is the city's first urban renewal vote under the amended charter and that the charter requires specific financial disclosures (duration, maximum indebtedness, estimated interest payable, assumed housing units and commercial/industrial square footage) to be posted on the city's website and mailed to electors unless the county chooses otherwise. She said that, as drafted, the required figures appear in the explanatory statement and are bolded, and that the council could direct staff to include the estimated interest payable in the explanatory statement if desired.
On legal challenges, she advised that anyone wishing to challenge the ballot title must file a petition with the Clackamas County circuit court within seven business days after the city recorder posts the notice; the court resolves title disputes before the county's filing deadline for ballot placement. That timeline informed council discussion around whether to place disclosures at the start of the explanatory statement or rely on a mailed voter information piece.
