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City attorney outlines petition timetable: certified initiative likely headed to May ballot, not November
Summary
City Attorney briefed council that the recently certified initiative petition starts a timeline that likely puts any initiative referendum on the May uniform election (not November), and explained council options (adopt without amendment or put competing ordinance on ballot).
City Attorney gave a procedural briefing on the initiative petition process after the council received a certified initiated ordinance petition concerning mass digital surveillance.
Under the city charter the petitioners have 45 days after certification to gather required signatures; following that council would have 30 days to adopt the initiative without amendment or place it before voters. "From the date that we received the 1st, the complete initiative petition... the 45 days plus the 30 days puts us well beyond the deadline to call an election for this November," the city attorney warned, meaning the earliest uniform election date would be the following May unless council adopts the ordinance as written.
Councilors discussed options, including collaborating with petitioners to refine language, or drafting a council alternative ordinance to present to voters. The city attorney recommended following Secretary of State guidance on ballot language to reduce the risk of successful legal challenges.
