Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/87353
Sarasota News Leader October 12, 2012 An amazing number of people in the area be- lieve they live in the city of Sarasota when in fact they live outside the city's limits. Their signatures do not count on these petitions. The charter change would push the deadline to 180 days from the current 90, providing more time for the supporters of a petition drive to collect valid signatures. The charter committee believed giving regular citizen volunteers a little more time to pull to- gether 4,000 signatures (or more) would make the task less daunting. Timing is another question. Which ballot are petitioners aiming for? It makes a difference. For example, the most recent successful pe- tition drive was timed for the proposed city charter change to go on the high-profile No- vember ballot, coinciding with the U.S. presi- dential election. Traditionally, the presidential election sees the highest turnout in the entire four-year cy- cle. It is also the occasion when voters have the least time to devote to local issues. This November, the ballot is swamped with 11 state constitutional amendments and one county charter amendment in competition for Page 40 attention (and understanding), along with sev- en city charter amendments. However, supporters of a petition drive might wish for it to show up on the biennial, city-on- ly March ballot. While the turnout is drastical- ly lower for city elections than for presidential elections, the focus is on city-only issues and candidates. Voters are not faced with so many choices at one time, and they can be more de- liberative with their selections. By expanding the "petition time" to 180 days, the city charter board hoped it would give more flexibility to citizen-initiated petitions (compared to professional operations). And the additional time would allow citizens to gather signatures in the cooler months of au- tumn rather than the blazing summer months in parking lots. Call it the "180-day question." Voters who be- lieve the city should allow more time for peti- tion gatherers to propose a change to the city's charter will vote in favor of this amendment. Voters who believe 90 days is sufficient for any petition drive will vote against this amend- ment. 2012 Safe Sex Halloween Bash www.SafeSexHalloweenBash.com SATURDAY • OCTOBER 27 • 9PM MICHAEL'S ON EAST