Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1911 — REFERENDUM ON FRANCHISES. [ARTICLE]

REFERENDUM ON FRANCHISES.

Grube Bill Would Give Voters Last Word on Ordinances. A referendum bill was introduced in the senate Friday by Senator Grube, of Plymouth. This measure provides that no ordinance, granting a franchise passed by any city council or town board, shall go into effect sooner than thirty days. If a protest, signed by 15 per cent of the voters, casting ballots at the last preceding election; is filed, the ordinance is suspended until ah election, at which the ordinance is referred to the voters. is held. This petition, It is provided, need not be only on paper, but may be filed by the “card system,” such as is legal in remonstrances. The referendum vote may be taken either at a general election, if such an election is held within sixty days after the filing of the petition, or It may be at a special election. More than one ordinance may be submitted to the voters at one election, and it Is provided that special elections shall not be held oftener than once in each six months.

No ordinance against which a legal protest has been filed, can go into effect until at-an election a majority of voters shall vote in favor of the ordinance. The city clerk is required either to publish the protested ordinance in two newspapers, together with a sample ballot showing the manner of voting, or to mall to every voter a copy of the ordinance and a sample ballot. This must be done at least ten days before the referendum election.