HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/05/1991 - ELECTION MISC.CITY OF ASHLAND CITY HALL
telephone (code 503) 482-3211
August 16, 1991
Larry Bevens, Election Dept.
Secretary of State Office
141 State Capito~
Salem, OR 97310-0722
Dear Larry,
I am following up with a letter on our conversation by phone this A.M. on
the matter of publishing in the newspaper, notice of receiving ballot title
from the City governing body.
I will briefly review the situation and request a written reponse from you.
Our City Council has approved placing a Water System Improvement measure on
the November 5th ballot. In talking with staff I said that I must publish
in a newspaper, in the City, a notice of receipt of the ballot title in-
cluding a notice that an elector may file a petition for review.
On~ of the staff members disagees that a notice needs to be published. in
conferring with an attorney at the bonding company that will be used, he
said also that a notice did not need to be published.
I am sending a copy of our City Charter and ordinance that covers elections.
Will you please review these two docuements and confirm, in writing, that
indeed the notice needs to be published in the newspaper.
Thank you for your prompt response to my telephone call. I will be
waiting for confirmation on this request.~
Yours truly,
Nan E. Franklin
City Recorder
(2) Encl.
Administration 2.36.030 -- 2.36.070
2.36.030 Deposit Required. Any person or persons,
organization or organizations presenting or offering any
initiative or referendum petition for final filing shall, at the
time of offering said petition, deposit with the City Recorder
either two hundred dollars ($200.00) cash or a certified check
drawn to the order of the City Recorder for said sum, which sum or
check shall be held by the recorder until after the election and,
in case the referred or proposed measure is defeated at such
election, the entire cost of holding the election on such measure
shall be paid from such deposit, and if any balance remains after
payment of such election expense, such balance shall be returned
to the proposer of any such measure. In the event any such
initiative ore. referendum measure is enacted at the election held
thereon, the entire amount of such deposit shall be returned to
the proposer of such measure, and the expenses of such election
shall be paid from the general funds of the city.
This provision is made for the purpose of preventing the
depletion of the City's funds by elections on matters in Qhich the
public is not interested and which have no merit. (Ord~' 1319 S9
1962)
2.36.040 Election--Notice Required. In the case of
initiative or referendum measures to be voted upon at either
general %r special elections, the City Recorder shalt-'give notice
thereof in the manner and for the time as is required to be given
in the case of special elections under the provisions of Section 3
of Art. VII of the City Charter, and may give such further notice
of election as the common council may, by motion in each
particular case, require. (Ord. 1319 Sll, 1962)
2.36.050 State and Municipal Law-lApplicability. In all
matters relating to the procedure under the initiative or
referendum not covered by this ordinance, the City Charter and the
laws of the State shall apply, except that the issuance and
printing of the voters' pamphlet shall not be required on the part
of the city. (Ord. 1319 S13, 1962)
2.36.060 Chapter Effect. This chapter is only drawn so as
to affect the procedure under the initiative and referendum and
has nothing to do with the calling of an election by the City
Council for any purpose under the provisions of the City Charter.
(Ord. 1319 S14, 1962)
2.36.070 Special Elections. If the Council determines that
the subject of an Initiative or Referendum Petition is of general
public interest, and there is a general or primary election within
120 days of the date requested in the Petition, it may order the
election to be held at such general or primary election. (Ord.
2458, 1988) (Ord. 1319, 1962; Ord. 2042, 1979} Ord. 2182, 1982~
Ord. 2393, 1986; Ord.2458, 1988)
45
Revised Sept. 1988
Administration 2.36.010 - 2.30.020
Chapter 2.36
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM*
Sections:
2.36.010
2.36.020
2.36.030
2.36.040
2.36.050
2.36~60
2.36.070
Signatures--Number Required.
Filing Time.
Deposit Required.
Election--Notice Required.
State and Municipal Law--Applicability.
Chapter Effect.
Special Elections.
2.36.010 Signatures--Number required. The signatures of a
number of duly qualified electors of the city equal to ten (10)
percent of the total vote cast for mayor at the last preceding
city election shall be necessary to order a referendum on any
ordinance passed by the common council, and the signat~°res of a
number of duly qualified electors of said city equal to fifteen
(15) percent of the total vote cast for mayor at the last
preceding city election shall be necessary to propose any measure
by the"~nitiative. (Ord. 1319 S6, 1962) ~'
2.36. 020 Filing Time. A. General Elections. Petitions for
proposed ordinances or Charter Amendments by the Initiative
process shall be offered for filing with the signatures and
verifications complete with the City Recorder not later than the
eighty-eighth (88) day before the next regular City Election at
which this proposed ordinance or amendment is to be submitted to
the voters.
B. Special Elections. Initiative petitions may call for
special elections on the measures to be proposed when such special
election is requested the date on which the election is to be held
shall be specified in the petition. Any petition under the
initiative process calling for a special election shall be offered
for filing with the Recorder of the City not less than sixty-three
(63) days prior to the date fixed in such petition for special
election.
C. Referendum Petitions. Any petition for a referendum
petition shall call for the election to be held at the next date
available for either a special or general election as provided by
State law which is not less than ninety-three (93) days from the
date that the ordinance being referred was passed. (Ord. 1319 S8,
1962; Ord. 2812 S4, 1982).
For the constitutional provisions regarding the right of
municipal initiative and referendum, see OREGON CONSTITUTION
Art. IV, SSl; for statutory' provisions regarding the
initiative, referendum and recall, see ORS Ch. 250; for
provisions regarding special elections, see City Charter,
Art. VII, SS3. "
44 Revised Sept. 1988
Charter Art. VII
thel~ due, to the Clerk of the County Court.
'The Recorder shall record in a book to be kept for that
purpose all ordinances and resolutions passed by the City
Council, and the same shall be signed by the Recorder, as
well as signed and approved by the Mayor therein.
Section 3. Vacancy. A willful absence of the Recorder
from the City for more than thirty (30) days without the
consent of the Council, carelessness or inattention to the
ddties of the Recorder, shall be grounds for the Council to
declare the office vacant; and it may fill such vacancy in
the same manner as vacancies in the office of Councilmen are
filled.
Section z]. Absence. In the Recorder's absence, the
Mayor shall appoint a Clerk of the Council Pro Tem who, while
acting in that c~pacity, shall have all the authority and
duties of the Recorder. ~
ARTICLE VIA. - Judge
Section 1. Term. At the biennial general election held
in 19~8, and every fourth year thereafter, a Judge shall be
elected for a term of four (4) years. (Charter amendment 5--23-7~
ARTICLE VII - Elections
Section !. Regular Elections. Regular City elections
shall b'e held at the same times and places as biennial general
State elections, in accordance ~'ith applicable State election
laws.
Section 2. Notice of Regular Elections. The Recorder,
pursuant to directions from the Council, shall give at least
ten (10') days' notice of each regular City election by post-
ing notice thereof at a conspicuous place in the City Hall,
and by publication in a newspaper of wide and general circula-
tion published in the City of Ashland. The notice shall state
the officers to be elected, the ballot title of each measure
to be voted upon, and the. time and place of the election.
Section 3. Special Elections. The Council shall pro-
vide the time, manner and means for holding any special
election which shall comply with applicable State laws. The
Recorder shall give a't least ten (!0) days' notice of each
special election in the manlier provided by the action of ~he
Council ordering the election.
Section 4. Regulation of Elections. Except as this
Charter provides otherwise and as the Council provides other-
wise by ordinances relating to elections, the general laws
C-5 Revised October 197[I
ELECTIONS
shall send two copies of it to the city attor-
ney.
(3) Not later than the fifth business day
after receiving the copies of the prospective
petition, the city attorney shall provide a
ballot title for the city measure to be initi-
ated or referred and return one copy of the
prospective petition and the ballot title to
the city elections officer. Unless the circuit
court certifies a different title, this ballot ti-
tle shall be the title printed on the ballot.
(4) A copT'of the ballot title shah be fur-
nished to the chief petitioner.
(5) The city elections officer, upon re-
ceiving a ballot title for a city measure to be
referred or initiated from the city attorney
or city governing body, shall publish in the
next available edition of a newspaper of gen-
eral distribution in the city a notice of re-
ceipt of the ballot title including notice that
an elector may file a petition for review of
the ballot title not later than the date re-
ferred to in ORS 250.296. 11979 c.190 §164; 1985
c.808 §28; 1987 c.707 §9a]
250.285 City governing body may pre-
pare ballot titles for certain measures. (1)
When the city governing body refers a meas-
ure to the people, a ballot title for the meas-
ure may ~e prepared by the body. The ballot
title shah be filed with the city elections of-
fieer.
(2) If the title is not prepared under sub-
section (1) of this section, when the measure
is filed with the city elections officer, the
officer shall send two copies to the city at-
torney. Not later than the fifth business day
after receiving the copies the city attorney
shah provide a ballot title for the measure,
and send a copy of it to the city governing
body and the city elections officer. 11979 c.190
§165; 1985 c.808 §29/
254),294) [Amended by 1965 s.s.c.1 §1; repealed by
1971 c.797 §l]
250.295 11971 c.7§7 §2; 1979 c.190 §395; renumbered
I88.130]
250.296 Procedure for elector dissatis-
fied with title of city measure. (1) Any
elector dissatisfied with a ballot title filed
with the city elections officer by the city at-
torney or the city governing body, may peti-
tion the circuit court of the judicial district
in which the city is located seeking a differ-
ent title and stating the reasons the title
filed with the court is insufficient, not con-
cise or unfair. The petition must be filed not
later than the seventh business day after the
title is filed with the city elections officer.
The court shall review the title and measure
to be initiated or referred, hear arguments,
if any, and certify to the city elections officer
a title for the measure which meets the re-
quirements of ORS 250.035 and 250.039.
(2) The review by the circuit court shall
be the first and final review, and shall be
conducted expeditiously to insure the orderly
and timely circulation of the petition or con-
duct of the election at which the measure is
to be submitted to the electors. 11879 c.190 §166;
1983 c.514 §9b; 1987 c.707 §19; 1989 c.503 §8]
2~0.300 [Amended by 1979 c.190 §396; renumbered
188.3101
250.305 Signature requirements. (1) A
petition to refer a city measure must be
signed by not less than 10 percent of the
electors registered in the city at the time the
prospective petition is filed. The petition
must be filed with the city elections officer
not later than the 30th day after adoption of
the city legislation sought to be referred.
(2) A petition to initiate a city measure
must be signed by not less than 15 percent
of the electors registered in the city at the
time the prospective petition is filed. 11979
c.190 §167; 1983 c.350 §67; 1989 c.251
250.310 lAinended by 1955 c.725 §1; 1957 c.608 §137;
1959 c.317 §3; 1961 c.114 ~11; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431]
250.315 Filing officer; filing require-
ments. (1) An initiative or referendum peti-
tion relating to a city measure shall be filed
with the city elections officer for signature
verification. The filed petition shah contain
only original signatures.
(2) An initiative or referendum petition
relating to a city measure shah not be ac-
cepted for filing if it contains less than 100
~lercent of the required number of signatures.
979 c.190 §168; 1989 c.68 ~8]
250.320 [Repealed by 1957 c.608 §231]
250.325 Procedure following filing of
initiative petition. (1) If an initiative peti-
tion contains the required number of verified
signatures, the city elections officer shall file
the initiated measure with the city governing
body at its next meeting.
(2) The governing body, not later than
the 30th day after the measure is filed with
it, may adopt or reject the measure unless
the measure is required to be submitted to
city electors under the city charter or state
law. If the measure is not adopted, the
measure is required to be submitted ~)or city
electors under the city charter or state law,
it shall be submitted to city electors on the
next available election date in ORS 221.230
held not sooner than the 90th day after the
measure was filed with the city governing
body.
(3) The governing body may refer a corn.
peting measure to city electors at the same
election at which the initiated measure is
submitted. If the governing body refers a
competing measure to city electors, it must
prepare the measure not later than the 30th
day after the initiated measure is filed with
23-60
it. The mayor sha]
veto an initiated
measure. 11979 c. I90
§7; 1987 c.471 §11
250.330 [Amended b'
1979 c.749 §3; renuinhere
250.335 [1979 c.190
250.340 lAinended b3
renumbered 254.325]
250,345 [1967 c.609 §
250.346 Retenti
als. The city electio
signature sheets of.
endure petition xvith
ure. If the measu
electors, a copy of t
served as a permane
signature sheets sh
years. 11979 c.190 §17N
.?30.354} [Amended
1977 c.644 §4a; 1979 c190
250.355 Date
dum petition rental
of verified signatur
city measure shall
able election date in
sooner than the 90t
dum measure was
elections officer. 119~
250.3~0 [Repealed by
2,50.365 [1963 c.595 §5
2.50375 enacted in lieu of
§71
2,50.370 IRepealed b)
250.375 [1963 c.595 §6
250.375 enacted in lieu
pealed by 1967 c.64 §7}
2,50.380 IRepealed by
250.39~ [Repealed by
2~.400 [Amended by
1979 cA90 §265; renumbere,
P,,Y).419 IAmended by
renumbered 247.035}
P,5O.4I~) [Amended by
1979 c.190 §431]
254).43~ [Amended
1979 c.190 §253; 1979 c.519
250.440 [Amended by I
repealed by 1979 c.749 §5[
2~0.460 [Repealed by 1
250.461 11957 c.§08 §14
1979 c. 190 §431]
250.470 IRepealed by
250,471 [1957 c.608
numbered 254495]
250.480 [Repealed by
290.49~ lAinended by
c.608 §2311
250.5~1 IRepealed by I?
2,50.510 [Amended by I
1979 c,190 §272; renumbe~'ed