Board of Elections and Ethics Petition Circulation Amendment Act of 1999
Bill 13-82

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A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Councilmember Kathleen Patterson introduced the following bill, which was referred to the Committee on Government Operations

To amend the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955 to abolish the registration requirement for circulators of petitions for the purposes of placing initiative and referendum measures on the ballot, nominating candidates for elected office, and recalling elected officials, and to establish in its place a requirement that circulators of petitions for these purposes be residents of the relevant jurisdictions and at least eighteen years of age at the time of circulation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Board of Elections and Ethics Petition Circulation Requirements Amendment Act of 1999."

Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, approved August 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 699; D.C. Code §1-1301 et seq.) is amended as follows:

(a) Section 8(b)(2) (D.C. Code §1-1312(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows:

"(b)(2) No nominating petition of any candidates for elected office pursuant to this subchapter may be circulated by any person who is not a resident of the District of Columbia and at least eighteen years of age. The Board shall consider invalid any petition sheet which was circulated by a person who, at the time of circulation, was not a resident of the District of Columbia and at least eighteen years of age."

(b) Section 16(h)(5) (D.C. Code §1-1320(h)(5)) is amended to read as follows:

"(h)(5) That the circulator of such initiative or referendum petition sheet is a resident of the District of Columbia and at least eighteen years of age; and"

(c) Section 16(k)(1)(E) (D.C. Code §1-1320(k)(1)(E)) is amended to read as follows:

"(k)( l )(E) The petition was circulated by persons who were not residents of the District of Columbia and at least eighteen years of age at the time of circulation.

(d) Section 17(f)(5) (D.C. Code §1-1321(f)(5)) is amended to read as follows:

"(f)(5) That the circulator of the recall petition is a resident of the electoral jurisdiction of the officer sought to be recalled and at least eighteen years of age; and"

(e) Section 17(i)(6) (D.C. Code §1-1321(i)(6)) is amended to read as follows:

"(i)(6) The petition was circulated by persons who, if the officer sought to be recalled was elected at-large, were not residents of the District of Columbia and at least eighteen years of age at the time of circulation, or if the officer sought to be recalled was elected from a ward, residents of that ward and at least eighteen years of age at the time of circulation, or if the officer sought to be recalled was elected from an Advisory Neighborhood Commission SMD, residents of that SMD and at least eighteen years of age at the time of circulation."

Sec. 3. This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), approval by the Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority as provided in section 203(a) of the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act of 1995, approved April 17, 1995 (109 Stat. 116; D.C. Code §47-392.3(a)), a 30-day period of Congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code §1-233(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.