§ 2-276. Petitions—Generally.

(a)

A petitioners' committee described in Section 56 of the Charter, or any other sponsor of any petition proposing an issue to be placed upon the ballot, other than recall of an elected official, shall, prior to obtaining any signatures, register with the city clerk as a political committee pursuant to F.S. § 106.03 and submit the text of such committee's proposal to the city clerk, with the form on which the signatures shall be affixed, and shall obtain the approval of the clerk of such form.

(b)

If a petition has signatures of electors to be verified, but does not propose a ballot issue or initiative or citizen referendum as described in Section 55 of the Charter, the sponsor of such petition shall not be required to register as a political committee, unless otherwise required by statute, or to submit the text to the city clerk for approval prior to circulating the petition. Such petition shall adhere to the requirements of Section 57 of the Charter concerning petition format. If the sponsor voluntarily submits the petition form to the city clerk for approval, the clerk shall proceed to approve or object to the form as a courtesy to the sponsor.

(c)

The city clerk shall not review the accuracy, content or legal sufficiency of the text of the material submitted, but will examine to determine that the required format has been followed and shall approve or object to such material strictly on the basis of those criteria set forth in Section 57 of the Charter and in the manner prescribed by Section 58(1) of the Charter.

(Ord. No. 08-40, § 3, 8-14-08)

State law reference

Political committees, F.S. § 106.03.

Charter reference

Art. IV.