ORDINANCE NO. 119555
AN ORDINANCE submitting a proposition to the qualified electors of the City, at the general election to be held on November 2, 1999, to amend Article IV, Section 1, Paragraph B of the Charter of the City of Seattle to clarify the time limit within which signed initiative petitions must be filed with the City by eliminating a provision that specifies that the time for procuring signatures on initiative petitions shall in no event exceed two hundred (200) days, and to amend outdated references to the role of the City Comptroller in the initiative process; ratifying and confirming prior acts; calling on the City Clerk to certify the proposed amendment to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County and directing such Director to submit the proposition to City voters; and providing for the publication of such proposed amendment.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subject to the approval of a proposition by a majority of the qualified electors casting votes thereon, Paragraph B of Section 1 of Article IV of the Charter of the City of Seattle is amended as follows:
ARTICLE IV Legislative Department
Section 1.
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B. INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM; HOW EXERCISED; PETITIONS; ((COMPTROLLER TO VERIFY)) VERIFICATION OF SIGNATURES; COMPLETION OF PETITION, CONSIDERATION IN COUNCIL: The first power reserved by the people is the initiative. It may be exercised on petition of a number of registered voters equal to not less than ten (10) percent of the total number of votes cast for the office of Mayor at the last preceding municipal election, proposing and asking for the enactment as an ordinance of a bill or measure, the full text of which shall be included in the petition. Prior to circulation for signatures, such petition shall be filed with the City ((Comptroller)) Clerk in the form prescribed by ordinance, and by such officer assigned a serial number, dated, and approved or rejected as to form, and the petitioner so notified within five (5) days after such filing. Signed petitions shall be filed with the City ((Comptroller)) Clerk within one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of approval of the form of such petitions. Upon such filing, the City ((Comptroller)) Clerk shall ((verify)) cause the verification of the sufficiency of the signatures to the petition, and transmit it, together with his or her report thereon to the City Council at a regular meeting not more than twenty (20) days after the filing of such signed petition, and such transmission shall be the introduction of the initiative bill or measure in the City Council. If the ((Comptroller)) Clerk shall find any petition, which, upon filing had a sufficient number of signatures, to have insufficient verified signatures, he or she shall notify the principal petitioners, and an additional twenty (20) days shall be allowed them in which to complete such petition to the required percentage((; provided however, that in no event shall the time for procuring signatures exceed two hundred (200) days)). Consideration of such initiative petition shall take precedence over all other business before the City Council, except appropriation bills and emergency measures.
Section 2. The King County Director of Records and Elections, as ex officio supervisor of elections, is hereby directed to submit to the qualified electors of the City the proposition set forth below at the City general election on November 2, 1999.
The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to certify the proposition to the King County Director of Records and Elections in the following form:
Proposed City Charter Amendment No.___
Shall the Seattle City Charter be amended to eliminate a provision that specifies that the time for procuring signatures on initiative petitions shall in no event exceed two hundred (200) days and to amend outdated references to the City Comptroller’s role in the initiative process, and shall Article IV, Section 1, Paragraph B of said charter be amended accordingly?
Yes____ No____
Every qualified voter at the election desiring to ratify the proposition shall mark his or her ballot "Yes." Every qualified voter desiring to reject the proposition shall mark his or her ballot "No."
Section 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County as Supervisor of Elections the charter amendment proposed herein in the form of a ballot title conforming to the foregoing statement of the same, and shall certify a copy of the proposed charter amendment, and the same shall be published by the City Clerk in two daily newspapers in the City for at least thirty (30) days prior to such election, and as required by RCW 35.22.170.
Section 4. Certification of the charter amendments proposed herein by the City Clerk to the Director of Records and Elections and any other act pursuant to the authority and prior to the effective date of this ordinance is hereby ratified and confirmed.
Section 5. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force immediately upon approval by the Mayor or, if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten (10) days after presentation, then on the eleventh (11th) day after its presentation to the Mayor or, if vetoed by the Mayor, then immediately upon its passage over his veto.
Passed by the City Council the 19 day of July, 1999, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this 19 day of July, 1999.
Sue Donaldson, President of the City Council
Approved by me this 19 day of July, 1999.
Paul Schell, Mayor
Filed by me this 23 day of July, 1999.
Ernie Dornfeld, Acting City Clerk
Filed by me this 26 day of July, 1999.
(Seal)