§ 32.066 INITIATIVES AND REFERENDUMS.
   (A)   Power reserved; time of election. There is reserved to the qualified electors of the city the power of the initiative and the referendum as prescribed by the state constitution. Any initiative or referendum matter shall be voted on at the next ensuing primary or general election.
   (B)   Number of signatures.
      (1)   The total number of registered voters qualified to vote at the last municipal election, whether regular or special, immediately preceding the date upon which any initiative petition is filed shall be the basis upon which the number of qualified electors of the city required to file an initiative petition shall be computed.
      (2)   The basis upon which the number of qualified electors of the city required to file a referendum petition shall be as determined by state law.
   (C)   Time of filing.
      (1)   Initiative petitions shall be filed at least four months prior to the election at which they are to be voted upon.
      (2)   Referendum petitions shall be filed within 30 days of the adoption of the ordinance or resolution to be referred. If the City Clerk is unable to provide petitioners with a copy of the ordinance or resolution at the time of application for an official number or on the same business day of the application, the 30 day period shall be calculated from the date such ordinance or resolution is available.
   (D)   Sample ballots and publicity pamphlets. The following procedures relating to sample ballots and publicity pamphlets are hereby adopted for conducting elections at which an initiative or referendum is to be voted upon:
      (1)   A publicity pamphlet shall be mailed by the City Clerk to each household within the city in which a registered voter resides. The mailing shall be made before the earliest date for receipt by registered voters of any requested early ballot for the election at which the measure is to be voted on. If the pamphlet is not mailed before the earliest date for receipt of a requested early ballot, the Clerk shall provide a notice with the early ballots stating when the pamphlets will be mailed and where and when the pamphlets may be accessed or viewed. The deadline for mailing is not less than ten days prior to the election to which the measure is to be voted on.
      (2)   Arguments supporting and opposing propositions appearing on the ballot shall be filed with the office of the City Clerk by 5:00 p.m. not less than 90 days prior to the election at which the propositions are to be voted upon. If time does not permit compliance with the 90 day deadline for a referendum, the City Clerk may establish a separate deadline for filing referendum ballot arguments. Arguments supporting or opposing propositions appearing on the ballot shall meet the following requirements:
         (a)   Arguments must relate to the propositions proposed by initiative or referred by referendum which will appear on the ballot.
         (b)   Arguments must identify the proposition to which they refer and indicate whether the argument is in support of or opposition to the proposition.
         (c)   Arguments may not exceed 300 words in length.
         (d)   Arguments must contain the original signature of each person sponsoring it. Arguments submitted by organizations shall be signed by two executive officers of the organization, or if the argument is sponsored by a political committee it must be signed by the committee's chairman or treasurer. All persons signing documents shall indicate their residence or post office address and a telephone number, which information shall not appear in the publicity pamphlet.
         (e)   No person or organization shall submit more than one argument for each proposition to be voted upon.
         (f)   Each argument shall be accompanied by a deposit in the amount established in the current fiscal year fee schedule to offset proportional cost of printing. This requirement shall not be waived on any account.
(Res. R19-04-07, passed 4-2-2019; Ord. O19-04-03, passed 4-2-2019)