PASSING AN ANTI-CORRUPTION ACT – These are the instructions for passing a binding Anti-Corruption Law. In order to pass a binding law, you will need to dig a little more into the following questions:
Does your city or county have a ballot initiative process or a charter amendment process?
Tip: Elections supervisors/administrators, city/county clerks and city/county attorneys are your best points of contact to ask about these processes.
Ballot Initiative – A local ballot initiative is a form of direct democracy. It is a procedure under which local voters directly propose (“initiate”) legislation through a “general law” process. Process: citizens write a new law, gather a sufficient number of signatures, place a summary of the law on the ballot, and vote it up or down. A majority vote makes the initiative the law.
Charter Amendment – Charter cities (also known as “home rule” cities) have their own city charter. Citizens must craft a “charter amendment”, gather signatures, and place it on the election ballot. Rather than immediately becoming the law of the land — as with a general law initiative — charter amendments direct the city or county commission to make specific changes within approximately six months.
