Editor’s note: In July, the Clark County Charter Review Commission passed 10 amendments to be sent to the voter in the November General Election. One of those amendments was adopted by the Clark County Council, leaving nine to be determined by the voters.
Clark County Today wrote about all of the amendments back in July. In this updated series, Clark County Today is reposting highlights from those reports in July as well as noting some arguments for and against each amendment that appear in the Voters’ Pamphlet.
Proposed Charter Amendment No. 26: Concerning the Initiative, Mini-Initiative, and Referenda Process
This would lower the requirement for verified signatures on an initiative or referendum petition from 10 percent to 8 percent.
Voters’ Pamphlet Argument for:
“Charter Amendment 26 makes it easier for Clark County citizens to have a voice in their government.”
“This amendment is a practical step in making Clark County government more responsive to its citizens. This charter gives residents the power of initiative and referendum, but since Clark County adopted home rule in 2014, no citizen petition has qualified for the ballot. One major barrier is the current signature requirement.”
Voters’ Pamphlet Argument against:
“In 2022 in Clark County a similar measure to reduce the required signature percentages for initiatives and referendums was rejected by 59 percent of the vote.”
“With attention focused on election integrity, all signatures should be verified.”
Here are some of the highlights of what Clark County Today reported in July, when the commission passed the amendment:
This amendment was sponsored by Cathie Garber, secretary of the commission. It passed 12-3.
According to the charter’s description, if passed by the voters, this would lower the requirement for verified signatures on an initiative or referendum petition from 10 percent to 8 percent.
It would also allow for the transfer of signatures from an unsuccessful initiative petition to a mini-initiative if the required 3 percent of valid signatures have been obtained.
Signatures required for petitions only affecting unincorporated Clark County would be calculated using the same method as petitions for the entire county.
And the County Auditor may use random statistical sampling to verify signatures by sampling no less than 3,000 signatures submitted. No petition may be rejected solely based on statistical sampling.
Garber said this amendment would “reduce barriers to citizen participation by making it easier to use the initiative and referendum powers already provided.”
No citizen petition has reached the ballot since Clark County adopted Home Rule in 2014, Garber noted.
“In part because of the high signature threshold,” she said. “This proposal would make a modest change to improve the likelihood that initiative petitions could qualify.”
One person in public comment noted that this amendment was similar to one that voters already voted against in 2022 and saw no need to try again.
Garber, during her time to speak as the sponsor, said this is not the same amendment as the one on the 2022 ballot.
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