The city clerk is responsible for, and shall exercise final control over, all aspects of the certification process relating to city initiative petitions. In the event of evidence of fraud or other circumstances that the city clerk determines may affect the security or integrity of the initiative petition, the city clerk shall consult with the city attorney to take additional steps necessary to ensure the security and integrity of the initiative petition process and the proper validation of signatures. The precise steps will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
(a) All signature sheets with the complete copy of the title and text of the proposed measure to be initiated shall be filed with the city clerk as one (1) instrument. For purposes of this chapter, a petition is filed when the petition is tendered to the city clerk, and the city clerk takes custody of the petition.
(b) The petitioners shall organize the signature sheets and group them by circulator and are solely responsible for compliance with this section. The city clerk shall return as unfiled any signature sheets that are not so organized and grouped.
(c) Initiative petitions which have not been filed with the city clerk as of 5:00 p.m. on the day four (4) months prior to the next ensuing city general election after their issuance, shall be null and void.
(d) In no event shall the city clerk accept an initiative petition which was issued for circulation more than twenty-four (24) months prior to the date of the city general election at which the measure is to be included on the ballot.
(e) Initiative petitions must be filed at a location specified by the city clerk.
(f) A representative of the petitioners shall be present from the time the city clerk begins processing the petition to the time the city clerk either issues the interim receipt of sufficiency or rejects the petition for insufficiency.
(Ord. No. 11525, § 2, 2-21-18)