Initiative Update

Proponents of the Right-To-Vote Initiative received word on March 6 that Mission Viejo’s land-use measure qualified for the next General Election. Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley found that the number of verified signatures (8,327) exceeded the 10 percent threshold of 6,142. However, he stated that the initiative didn’t qualify for a special election at a threshold of 9,213 or 15 percent of Mission Viejo’s registered voters.

Proponents verified signatures prior to submitting them to the city clerk on Jan. 26. Their findings (by comparing data on the petitions with the RoV’s CD of registered voters) indicated the number reached the 15 percent threshold. After receiving Kelley’s figures, they were eager to review the petitions to see why so many signatures had been disqualified. The city clerk told proponents they may not look at the petitions because the initiative was successful in qualifying at 10 percent for the next General Election.

During the March 16 council meeting, City Attorney Bill Curley announced the results of the initiative’s certification process. He stated that the number of signatures failed to reach 15 percent to trigger a special election. The city clerk said she would call the Secretary of State for a ruling on whether or not the proponents can review the signatures.

By law, proponents have 21 days to review the signatures in a failed effort, and the time period ends this week. When the city attorney stated on March 16 that the effort failed to reach 15 percent, he confirmed the legal grounds for proponents to review the signatures.

One of the proponents commented after the March 16 meeting, “Is this situation a surprise to anyone? We know that the city staff and council majority oppose the initiative although they’re officially not supposed to take a position. If the council majority and their attorney manage to keep the initiative off the ballot altogether, residents will have one more reason to change this majority by recalling Councilman Lance MacLean.