What is the procedure for initiating a referendum in a municipality?
In California, the process of initiating a referendum in a municipality begins with the drafting of a petition. The petition must be signed by a minimum of ten percent of the electorate registered in the municipality where the referendum is to take place. A written notice of intention to circulate the petition must also be provided to the clerk or other official responsible for elections in the municipality. Once the petition is completed, it must be presented to the clerk or other official responsible for elections in the municipality for verification. The clerk or other official responsible for elections must verify the petition’s signatures and determine that it meets the minimum number of required signatures. If the petition meets the required signature requirement, the clerk or other official responsible for elections must certify the petition and forward it to the governing body of the municipality. Once the petition is received by the governing body, the municipality must then take steps to put the referendum before the electorate, which usually involves setting a date for a special election to vote on the referendum issue. Once the date for the special election has been set, the municipality is then responsible for making sure that voters are informed of the referendum issue and that they have ample opportunity to cast their vote.
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