TITLE 34

ELECTIONS

CHAPTER 18

INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM ELECTIONS

34-1801B.  initiative and referendum procedures for cities. Each city shall allow direct legislation by the people through the initiative and referendum. Cities shall follow the procedures set forth in this chapter subject to the following provisions:

(1)  The city attorney shall perform the duties assigned to the attorney general.

(2)  The city clerk shall perform those duties assigned to the secretary of state.

(3)  City initiative and referendum elections shall be held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November in odd-numbered years.

(4)  An action brought pursuant to section 34-1809, Idaho Code, challenging the ballot title or short title shall be brought in the district court in the county in which the city is located.

(5)  Pursuant to section 34-1809, Idaho Code, the city attorney shall prepare recommendations concerning revision of the initiative or referendum, issue a certificate of review to the city clerk, and shall prepare the ballot title and short title.

(6)  To be eligible to sign a petition for city initiative or referendum, a person shall be a qualified elector of the city at the time of signing thereon.

(7)  To perfect a petition for city initiative or referendum the petition shall have signatures from at least twenty percent (20%) of the total number of qualified electors voting in the last general city election in November of an odd-numbered year.

(8)  The provisions of section 34-1805, Idaho Code, relating to the number of required signatures and geographic distribution of signatures shall not apply to city initiative or referendum.

(9)  Any person who circulates a petition for city initiative or referendum shall be a resident of the state of Idaho and at least eighteen (18) years of age, and pursuant to section 34-1807, Idaho Code, shall certify their belief that each signer of the petition is a qualified elector of the state of Idaho and the city.

(10) A copy of all petitions and signature sheets shall be kept by the city clerk as a public record.

(11) The prospective petition for referendum, as provided by section 34-1804, Idaho Code, shall be filed not more than sixty (60) days following publication of the adopted ordinance as provided by section 50-901, Idaho Code.

(12) The deadline for submission of signatures to the city clerk is one hundred eighty (180) days after the petitioners for initiative or referendum receive the official ballot title from the city clerk, or April 30 of the year of the initiative or referendum election, whichever is earlier.

(13) Petitioners must submit the signed initiative or referendum petitions to the county clerk for verification not later than the close of business on the first day of May in the year of the initiative or referendum election, or one hundred eighty (180) days after the petitioners receive the official ballot title from the city clerk, whichever is earlier.

(14) The county clerk has sixty (60) calendar days to verify the signatures as provided in subsection (3) of section 34-1802, Idaho Code.

(15) The city council shall have the option to adopt the ordinance proposed by initiative within thirty (30) days after the notification pursuant to section 34-1807, Idaho Code, provided that the petition has the required number of signatures. The city council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance within the thirty (30) day period, preceded by legal notice published once in the official city newspaper at least seven (7) days preceding the hearing. If the ordinance is not adopted by the council by the end of the thirty (30) day period, the initiative shall be put on the ballot.

(16) As provided by sections 34-1812A through 34-1812C, Idaho Code, a voters’ pamphlet shall be prepared by the city clerk.

(17) To be passed into law, an initiative or referendum shall be approved by a majority of the votes cast on the measure.

(18) The mayor shall issue the proclamation provided by section 34-1813, Idaho Code.

(19) The city clerk shall publish an ordinance adopted by initiative or referendum within thirty (30) days after the proclamation by the mayor provided in subsection (18) of this section.

(20) All city ordinances setting forth procedures for initiative or referendum are void on July 1, 2015.

(21) This section does not apply to bond elections.

(22) This section does not apply to any local zoning legislation including, but not limited to, ordinances required or authorized pursuant to chapter 65, title 67, Idaho Code.

History:

[34-1801B, added 2015, ch. 285, sec. 2, p. 1157; am. 2018, ch. 238, sec. 2, p. 558.]