Title
Amending Saint Paul City Charter Chapter 8.02 and 8.03 to clarify signature and petition requirements.
Body
WHEREAS, the Council wishes to clarify the number of signatures required for a petition that is submitted close to a mayoral election; and
WHEREAS, the Council also wishes to clarify the procedure for evaluating a petition; and
WHEREAS, the Charter Commission has recommended changes to Sections 8.02 and 8.03 of the Saint Paul City Charter in order to improve such clarity; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby ordain:
Section 1
Section 8.02 of the Charter of the City of Saint Paul is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 8.02. - Petition.
Initiative, referendum or recall shall be initiated by a petition
(1) signed by registered voters of the city equal in number to eight (8) percent of those who voted for the office of mayor in the last preceding city election in the case of initiative or referendum, or
(2) signed by registered voters of the city equal in number to twenty (20) percent of those who voted for the office of mayor in the last preceding city election in the case of recall of the office of mayor, or
(3) signed by registered voters of the relevant council ward equal in number to twenty (20) percent of those who voted for the relevant office of councilmember in the last preceding city election or fifteen (15) percent of the registered voters in the relevant council ward, whichever number is greater.
The number of signatures required for an initiative petition submitted up to 30 days after a city election shall be determined using the required percentage of votes cast for mayor at either that election or the previous election for mayor, whichever had the fewer voters.
The number of signatures required for a referendum petition shall be determined as of the date on which the ordinance is published.
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