District Initiatives

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The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters is the elections official for district initiatives. California law prescribes certain deadlines for the initiative process. Please refer to the appropriate code sections or consult a lawyer for advice about the deadlines.

Deadline	Step	Elections Code
	Proponents publish notice of intention to circulate initiative petition and statement of reasons for proposed initiative petition in a newspaper of general circulation.	9302
Within 10 days of publication of notice of intention and notice of reasons in a newspaper of general circulation	Proponents file notice of intention, statement of reasons, text of initiative, and proof of publication with Registrar of Voters Office.	9304
After filing notice of intention, statement of reasons, text of initiative, and proof of publication	Proponents can begin circulating initiative petition. For number of signatures required, see EC 9310 and California Constitution, Article 13C, Section 3.	9305
Within 180 days of filing notice of intention, statement of reasons, text of initiative, and proof of publication	Proponents file initiative petition signatures with Registrar of Voters Office.	9306
Either: Within 30 days of filing (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) if full check is not required OR Within 90 days of filing (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) if full check is required	If 500 or fewer signatures are submitted, Registrar of Voters Office has 30 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) to verify all signatures. If number of valid signatures is found to be less than number needed, Registrar of Voters certifies petition to be insufficient and no further action is taken. If number of valid signatures is found to be greater than or equal to number needed, Registrar of Voters certifies petition to be sufficient and takes next step. If greater than 500 signatures are submitted, Registrar of Voters Office has 30 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) to verify a random sampling of 500 signatures or 3 percent of the signatures submitted (whichever number is greater). If number of valid signatures in sample is found to be less than 95% of number needed, Registrar of Voters certifies petition to be insufficient and no further action is taken. If number of valid signatures in sample is found to be between 95% and 110% of number needed, Registrar of Voters Office shall, within 90 days form the date the petition was filed (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays), verify all signatures submitted. If number of valid signatures is found to be less than number needed, Registrar of Voters certifies petition to be insufficient and no further action is taken. If number of valid signatures is found to be greater than or equal to number needed, Registrar of Voters certifies petition to be sufficient and takes next step. If number of valid signatures in sample is found to be greater than 110% of number needed, Registrar of Voters certifies petition to be sufficient and takes next step.	9308, 9309
Next regular district board meeting after petition certified as sufficient	Registrar of Voters certifies petition to be sufficient to district board at next regular district board meeting. District board can take one of two actions: Adopt ordinance without alteration within 10 days Submit ordinance to go before voters at either: Next statewide election occurring not less than 88 days after date of order of election A special election taking place between 88 and 103 days after date of order of election	1405, 9308, 9309, 9310