Iowa City residents pass measure to change petition requirements

IOWA CITY - Iowa City voters on Tuesday passed a ballot measure that changes the number of signatures needed on a petition to place an initiative or referendum on a ballot in Iowa City.

Public Measure C passed 16,439-11,922 with 58 percent of voters approving the measure.

The measure decreases the number of eligible electorate signatures required on a petition from 25 percent of people who voted in the last regular city election but no fewer than 3,600, to 10 percent but no fewer than 10.

The movement to amend the city's charter came after an April 2015 decision that required citizens to gather more signatures on a petition before they could force an initiative or referendum vote. Then, the council voted to increase the minimum requirement from 2,500 to 3,600 signatures but changed those who could sign from registered voters to eligible electorate - or voters age 18 or older eligible to vote, but not necessarily registered to vote.

The petition for the measure was placed on the ballot in August after residents collected 751 dated signatures with Iowa City addresses. Because it is a city charter amendment, the petition was requried to have 686 signatures.