Page 24 - Special District Handbook with Cover-Final

PHASE 7 – SPECIAL DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD

OPTIONS

Special District Initiative Petition Signed by 10% or 5%…

• If the district initiative petition is signed by voters not less in number than 10% of the voters in the district, where the number of registered voters is less than 500,000 , or not less in number than 5% of the voters in the district, where the total number of registered voters is 500,000 or more , and the petition contains a request that the ordinance be submitted immediately to a vote of the people at a special election , the district board shall do either of the following:

(a) Adopt the ordinance without alteration either at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented, or within 10 days after it is presented; Elec. Code § 9310 (b) Immediately call a Special Election pursuant to subdivision (a) of Elections Code section 1405, at which the ordinance, without alteration, shall be

submitted to a vote of the district. Elec. Code § 9310

NOTE: When legally possible, the Special Election may be consolidated with a Regular or Special Election held within 6 months (180 days) or the Special Election shall be held not less than 88 nor more than 103 days after the order date of the election . However, the 103-day deadline may be extended in certain cases. The intent is that not more than one Special Election for an initiative measure be held by one jurisdiction during any 180-day period. Elec. Code § 1405

Special District Initiative Petition Does Not Request A Special Election…

• If the special district initiative petition does not request a special election, the district board shall do either of the following:

(a) Adopt the ordinance, without alteration, either at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented, or within10 days after it is presented. Elec. Code § 9311

(b) Submit the ordinance, without alteration, to the voters pursuant to subdivision (b) of Elections Code section 1405, unless the ordinance petitioned for is required to be, or for some reason is, submitted to the voters at a special election pursuant to subdivision (a) of Elections Code section 1405. Elec. Code § 9311

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