Citizen Initiative, Referendum and Recall
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Citizen Initiative, Referendum and Recall
The Longmont City Clerk's office has prepared the following for citizens' information and reference on the citizen initiative, referendum and recall processes. These processes are complex and may involve unresolved questions of law and statutory interpretation concerning constitutional provisions, statutes, City Charter and ordinances. The information and documents presented may not reflect the latest election law changes.
The information below will provide you with information that should be reviewed thoroughly and checked with your own legal counsel. City staff cannot serve as legal advisers or representatives for citizens and cannot guarantee legal sufficiency of this information but will attempt to address process questions where appropriate. We encourage anyone embarking on this process to carefully review the pertinent legal provisions and to involve competent legal counsel.
What is a Citizen Initiative?
The citizen initiative process is the direct power of the voters to propose a new legislative measure or course of action, in the form of an ordinance or resolution, and secure its submission to the City Council or the electorate for approval.
The initiative process is often confused with the referendum process. The power of referendum is the power of the electors to refer any ordinance adopted by the City Council to a vote of the people.
Initiating the Process
An initiative is commenced by one or more registered electors filing with the City Clerk a written notice of intent to circulate an initiative petition. The notice must contain, or have attached to it, the full text of the proposed ordinance or resolution and must state whether a special election is requested. There is no form for filing a notice of intent.
If citizens pursuing this avenue are trying to place an item on a scheduled election date, the City Clerk should be contacted for specific deadlines associated with certifying the ballot for that election. A resolution to call a special election will have to be adopted by the City Council if no regular municipal election is scheduled not less than thirty days or within one hundred fifty days from the time the petition is presented to the Council by the City Clerk. [Longmont Charter, §5.4].
Download Information about Citizen Initiative & Referendum
Citizen Initiative Process Information Sheet - updated 4/11/2024
The instructions linked above are for initiated ordinances only. There were 72,788 registered electors in Longmont for the last regular election held November 7, 2023. Initiative petitions require 7,278 signatures of registered electors (10% of the total registered electors at the last Regular Municipal Election) to be sufficient for getting your initiative on a ballot.
If you are proposing a Municipal Charter amendment, the number of signatures and the requirements may be different than those listed in these materials. Please call the City Clerk for instructions specific to Charter changes.
NOTE OF CAUTION: The state legislature makes changes to the election process on a regular basis. While the initiative process has not changed significantly, these documents may not reflect the latest election law changes. Current statutes and local codes should be reviewed thoroughly and you should consult with your own legal counsel.
Colorado Constitution (on Lexis Nexis)
Colorado Revised Statutes (on Lexis Nexis)
Colorado Secretary of State
City of Longmont Charter - Article V
Longmont City Charter Article V - Initiation, Referendum and Recall
5.7. - Recall.
Every elective public officer of the city may be recalled at any time after six months in office by the electors entitled to vote for a successor of such incumbent through the procedure and in the manner provided for in Article XXI of the constitution of the State of Colorado.
5.8. - Recall procedure by council.
The council may provide by ordinance such further procedure as may be deemed necessary as long as it is not inconsistent with the constitution of the State of Colorado or this Charter. However, in no event shall an ordinance require any recall petition to be signed by more than 25 percent of the electors of the entire vote cast at the last preceding election for all candidates for the office.
Colorado Secretary of State Information on Recall
The Colorado Secretary of State's Office website has information on recall and links to Article XXI of the Colorado state constitution, Article 12 of Title I of the Colorado Revised Statutes, and Rule 15 of the Secretary of State Election Rules
