Any proposed ordinance may be submitted to the council by petition signed by registered electors of the city, equal in number to the percentage hereinafter required. The procedure in respect to such petition shall be the same as provided in Sections 28 and 29, Article III, of this Charter, with such modifications as the nature of the case requires, except that no blank forms shall be furnished or preliminary affidavit made.
If the petition accompanying the proposed ordinance be signed
by registered electors equal in number to at least ten per centum
of the last preceding vote cast in the city for all candidates for
Governor of the State of Colorado, and contains a request that said
proposed ordinance be submitted to a vote of the people, if not passed
by the council, the clerk shall thereupon ascertain and certify its
number of qualified signers; whereupon, if such certificate shows
the required number of qualified signers, the council shall within
twenty days thereafter, either--
(a)
Pass
said ordinance without alteration (subject to the referendum vote
provided in this article); or
(b)
Call
a special election, unless a general or special municipal election
is to be held within ninety days thereafter; and at such general or
municipal election said proposed ordinance shall be submitted without
alteration to the vote of the registered electors of the city.
If the petition be signed by registered electors equal in number
to at least five per centum but less than ten per centum of the last
preceding vote cast in the city for all candidates for Governor of
the State of Colorado, as shown in the manner hereinbefore provided,
and said proposed ordinance be not passed without alteration by the
council within forty days, as provided in the preceding section, then
such proposed ordinance, without alteration, shall be submitted by
the council to electoral vote at the next general municipal election,
if any, occurring within sixty days thereafter. If filed before sixty
days, or within forty days of such election, said petition shall be
invalid.
No ordinance passed by the council shall take effect before
thirty days after its final passage and final publication, except
an emergency ordinance, as provided in Article VI of this Charter. If, within said thirty days, a petition
signed by registered electors of the city equal in number to at least
ten per centum of the last preceding vote cast in the city for all
candidates for Governor of the State of Colorado, be presented to
the council, protesting against such ordinance taking effect, the
same shall thereupon and thereby be suspended from taking effect,
the council shall immediately reconsider such ordinance, and if the
same be not entirely repealed, the council shall submit it, by the
method provided in this article, to a vote of the registered electors
of the city, either at the next general municipal election, or at
a special election, which may, in their discretion, be called by them
for that purpose, and such ordinance shall not take effect unless
a majority of the registered electors voting on the same at such election,
shall vote in favor thereof.
The council may, of its own motion, submit to electoral vote
for adoption or rejection at a general or special municipal election,
any proposed ordinance or measure, or a proposition for the repeal
or amendment of any ordinance, in the same manner and with the same
force and effect as provided in this article for submission on petition.
If the provisions of two or more proposed ordinances or measures,
adopted or approved at the same election, are inconsistent, then the
ordinance or measure receiving the highest affirmative vote shall
prevail.
Whenever any proposed ordinance is required by this Charter
to be submitted to the voters of the city at any election, the council
shall cause it to be published as required of other proposed ordinances.
The ballots used when voting upon such proposed ordinance shall
state the nature of the ordinance in terms sufficient to identify
it, and, on separate lines, the words, “For the Ordinance,”
and “Against the Ordinance.” If a majority of the registered
electors voting on said proposed ordinance shall vote in favor thereof,
the same shall thereupon become an ordinance of the city.
There shall not be held under this article more than one special
election in any period of six months.
An ordinance adopted by electoral vote cannot be repealed or
amended except by electoral vote.
