Sign here: How citizens can petition for change
Chattanoogans have the power to change city laws, put issues on the ballot, and fire elected officials.
Graphic by Ian-Alijah Bey
When it comes to making change at the local level, citizens don't always have to wait for an election year to call for a vote (although, believe it or not, we are headed into another election year). Ballot measures allow Chattanoogans to directly change or create local laws and hold leaders accountable. They can be included on the ticket at a special or general election.
This is part of an ongoing series on voting. Have something you want answered before you cast another ballot? Let us know.
By Trista Ridge
Petitions can be a powerful first step to effecting change. They allow any resident or group — with enough signatures — to put an issue on the ballot, change or repeal a city law, or fire an elected official.
“In this context, we’re talking about forms of direct democracy,” said Chris Acuff, UTC professor of public administration.
Chattanooga’s city charter allows for local ballot measures in three forms: recall elections, referendums, and ballot initiatives. Acuff laid out the process Chattanoogans can follow to make changes in local laws and government.
Recall elections
Recall elections allow citizens to remove an elected mayor, city judge, or City Council member from office before their term expires. To do so, a petition must be signed by 15% of registered voters in the city (for mayor or city judge) or 15% of voters in a district for City Council. After a petition is submitted and verified, the election commission votes to certify the recall petition. If it is voted in favor, the commission will schedule a recall election.
In 2010, Chattanooga residents attempted to recall Mayor Ron Littlefield, but ultimately a judge ruled the recall effort invalid due to an insufficient number of signatures and missing dates.
Referendums
A ballot referendum occurs when citizens attempt to undo an ordinance already passed by City Council. City ordinances are legislation that create or change laws, and council must pass them twice (on first and final readings), before they become part of city code.
After an ordinance passes on a second vote, it takes two weeks to go into effect (unless it’s urgent in nature, like public health and safety concerns). If citizens wish to issue a referendum to challenge an ordinance, they must collect signatures on a petition within those two weeks. Valid referendums require the signatures of least 25% of the number of votes cast for mayor in the last general municipal election, which would be a little over 7,000 signatures based on the 2021 election.
Once the Hamilton County Election Commission certifies the petition, City Council members must reconsider the challenged ordinance. Unless repealed by council members, the ordinance will appear on a ballot during a special election or a general election if one is scheduled within 90 days.
Referendums are only applicable to ordinances, not resolutions. City resolutions do not change, adopt, or negate city code, and City Council often uses them to appoint members to city boards, approve contracts and agreements, and pass city policies. Resolutions go into effect after one vote. For example, a resolution adopted on June 6 updated Chattanooga’s Tax Increment Financing policies.
Initiatives
Initiatives allow citizens to write their own ordinances and present them to City Council for a vote. Like referendums, they require a petition with signatures totaling at least 25% of the votes cast in the previous mayoral race.
Once the petition has been verified, City Council must vote on the unaltered citizen-proposed ordinance within six weeks of its filing. If members refuse to vote or fail to pass the ordinance, the election commissioners will put it on a ballot under the same rules as referendums. The ordinance goes into effect with majority support from voters.
How to create a petition
There is not a standard petition form, but there are requirements made by the Election Commission in order for the petition to be approved.
Requirements:
The full text of the request
The genuine signature and address of registered voters
The printed name of each signatory
The date of signature
Upon receipt, the election commission will certify whether or not the completed petition meets all applicable requirements within 30 days of filing the completed petition.
Petitions can be created on Google Forms, Change.org, Jotform, etc., as long as it has all the required pieces listed above.