Councilmember Kathleen Patterson
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.