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HomeElections CodeDiv. 9Ch. 3Art. 1§ 9215 Initiative Petition Requirements

§ 9215 Initiative Petition Requirements

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

§ 9215 Initiative Petition Requirements

Key Takeaways

  • •If enough people in a city sign a petition (at least 10% of voters, or 25%/100 in small cities), the city leaders must take action.
  • •The city leaders can either: make the petition into a law right away, let the voters decide in an election, or ask for a report first before choosing one of those options.
  • •If they ask for a report, they must make a decision (make it a law or hold an election) within 10 days after getting the report.

Example

A group of people in a town want a new rule, like banning plastic bags. They get 10% of the town’s voters to sign a petition.

The town leaders must either make the plastic bag ban a law right away, let everyone vote on it in an election, or ask for a report to learn more. If they ask for a report, they have 10 days after getting it to decide.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 9215 Initiative Petition Requirements

If the initiative petition is signed by not less than 10 percent of the voters of the city, according to the last report of registration by the county elections official to the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 2187, effective at the time the notice specified in Section 9202 was published, or, in a city with 1,000 or less registered voters, by 25 percent of the voters or 100 voters of the city, whichever is the lesser number, the legislative body 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 9212 at the regular meeting at which the certification of the petition is presented. When the report is presented to the legislative body, the legislative body shall either adopt the ordinance within 10 days or order an election pursuant to subdivision (b). (Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 748, Sec. 7. (AB 765) Effective January 1, 2018.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

ordinanceregistrationpetitionportsecretaryalterationcertificationelection

Related Statutes

  • § 9118 County Initiative Petition Requirements
  • § 9255 Charter Commission Voter Submission
  • § 11220 Recall Petition Filing Deadlines
  • § 9202.5 Initiative Petition Filing Period
  • § 9210 Petition Filing Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 9215.
View Official Source