§ 9203 Ballot Measure Title Process

Key Takeaways

•If you want to propose a new law or measure, you must give a copy to the elections office and ask for a simple title and summary.
•The city attorney has 15 days to write a short, fair title and summary (500 words or less) that explains the measure without favoring or opposing it.
•Before collecting signatures, you must put the city attorney’s title and summary at the top of every petition page in clear, readable font.
•The petition must clearly say it’s an 'Initiative Measure' and include the city attorney’s title and summary on every page where people sign.

Example

A group wants to make a new rule in their city, like banning plastic bags in stores. They write up their idea and take it to the elections office.

The elections office sends it to the city attorney, who has 15 days to write a short, fair title and summary. The group must then put this title and summary at the top of every page of their petition before asking people to sign it. If they don’t, the petition might not count.

(a) Any person who is interested in any proposed measure shall file a copy of the proposed measure with the elections official with a request that a ballot title and summary be prepared. This request shall be accompanied by the address of the person proposing the measure. The elections official shall immediately transmit a copy of the proposed measure to the city attorney. Within 15 days after the proposed measure is filed, the city attorney shall provide and return to the city elections official a ballot title for and summary of the proposed measure. The ballot title may differ from any other title of the proposed measure and shall express in 500 words or less the purpose of the proposed measure. In providing the ballot title, the city attorney shall give a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the proposed measure in such language that the ballot title shall neither be an argument, nor be likely to create prejudice, for or against the proposed measure. (b) The elections official shall furnish a copy of the ballot title and summary to the person filing the proposed measure. The person proposing the measure shall, prior to its circulation, place upon each section of the petition, above the text of the proposed measure and across the top of each page of the petition on which signatures are to appear, in roman type not smaller than 11 point, the ballot title prepared by the city attorney. The text of the measure shall be printed in type not smaller than 8 point. The heading of the proposed measure shall be in a boldface type in substantially the following form: INITIATIVE MEASURE TO BE DIRECTLY SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS The city attorney has prepared the following title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure: (Here set forth the title and summary prepared by the city attorney. This title and summary must also be printed across the top of each page of the petition whereon signatures are to appear.) (Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 887, Sec. 7. (SB 1360) Effective January 1, 2023.)

Key Takeaways

•If you want to propose a new law or measure, you must give a copy to the elections office and ask for a simple title and summary.
•The city attorney has 15 days to write a short, fair title and summary (500 words or less) that explains the measure without favoring or opposing it.
•Before collecting signatures, you must put the city attorney’s title and summary at the top of every petition page in clear, readable font.
•The petition must clearly say it’s an 'Initiative Measure' and include the city attorney’s title and summary on every page where people sign.

Example

A group wants to make a new rule in their city, like banning plastic bags in stores. They write up their idea and take it to the elections office.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

§ 9203 Ballot Measure Title Process

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References