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HomeElections CodeDiv. 9Ch. 2Art. 1§ 9118 County Initiative Petition Requirements

§ 9118 County Initiative Petition Requirements

Elections Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 9118 County Initiative Petition Requirements

Key Takeaways

  • •If enough people sign a petition (at least 10% of the last vote for Governor in the county), the county leaders must take action.
  • •The leaders can either: 1) make the petition into a law right away, 2) let the voters decide in an election, or 3) ask for a report first, then decide later.
  • •If they ask for a report, they have 10 days after getting it to either make it a law or let voters decide.

Example

A group of people in a county want a new rule, like banning plastic bags. They get signatures from 10% of the people who voted in the last Governor election.

The county leaders must then either make the plastic bag ban a law right away, let everyone vote on it, or ask for a report to learn more before deciding.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 9118 County Initiative Petition Requirements

If the initiative petition is signed by voters not less in number than 10 percent of the entire vote cast in the county for all candidates for Governor at the last gubernatorial election preceding the publication of the notice of intention to circulate an initiative petition, the board of supervisors shall do one of the following: (a) Adopt the ordinance, without alteration, at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented, or within 10 days after it is presented. (b) Submit the ordinance, without alteration, to the voters pursuant to Section 1405. (c) Order a report pursuant to Section 9111 at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented. When the report is presented to the board of supervisors, the board shall either adopt the ordinance within 10 days or order an election pursuant to subdivision (b). (Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 748, Sec. 4. (AB 765) Effective January 1, 2018.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

ordinancepetitiongovernorportelectionalterationcertificationpublication

Related Statutes

  • § 9215 Initiative Petition Requirements
  • § 9108 Petition Circulation Requirements
  • § 9142 County Revenue Bond Referendum
  • § 9144 Ordinance Protest Petition Requirements
  • § 9315 Initiative Argument Distribution Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 9118.
View Official Source