SECTIONS 2931-2939 - California Statutes

PUBLIC UTILITIES CODE

SECTION 2931-2939

2931. The question whether any municipal corporation shall retain
its powers of control respecting one or more classes of public
utilities may be submitted to the qualified electors of the municipal
corporation, as provided in this chapter, either at a general
municipal election or at a special election.
The question may be submitted, either (a) in pursuance of an
ordinance of intention adopted by a vote of three-fifths of all the
members of the legislative body of the municipal corporation,
declaring that the public interest requires the submission of, and
that it is the intention of the legislative body to submit the
question to a vote of the qualified electors of the municipal
corporation or (b) in pursuance of a petition of qualified electors
of the municipal corporation.

2932. The ordinance of intention or the petition, as the case may
be, shall contain the propositions proposed to be so submitted, as
set forth in Section 2965.

2933. The petition shall be signed by qualified electors of the
municipal corporation, equal in number to 10 per centum of the
qualified electors, computed upon the total number of votes cast in
the municipal corporation for all candidates for Governor at the last
preceding general election prior to the filing of the petition at
which a governor was elected. The petition may consist of separate
papers, but if any paper consists of more than one sheet it shall be
securely fastened together at the top. The signatures need not all be
appended to one sheet of paper. Each paper shall have attached, at
the bottom of the last sheet, the affidavit of a qualified elector of
the municipal corporation, stating that all of the signatures on
each sheet were made in his presence, and that to the best of his
knowledge and belief each signature is a genuine signature of the
person whose name purports to be subscribed.

2934. The petition shall be filed with the clerk of the legislative
body of the municipal corporation. Within 10 days from the date of
the filing of the petition, the clerk shall examine the petition and
ascertain from the record of the registration of the electors of the
city and county, or of the county in which the municipal corporation
is situated, whether the petition is signed by the requisite number
of qualified electors. Upon request of the clerk, the legislative
body of the municipal corporation shall authorize him to employ
persons specially to assist him in the work of examining the petition
and shall provide for their compensation.

2935. Upon completion of the examination, the clerk shall forthwith
attach to the petition his certificate, properly dated, showing the
result of the examination. If from the examination, the clerk finds
that the petition is signed by the requisite number of qualified
electors, he shall certify that the petition is sufficient. If, from
the examination, he finds that the petition is not signed by the
requisite number of qualified electors, he shall certify to the
number of qualified electors signing the petition and to the number
of qualified electors required to make the petition sufficient.

2936. If, by the certificate of the clerk, the petition is shown to
be insufficient, it may be amended by filing a supplemental petition
within 10 days from the date of the certificate.

2937. The clerk shall, within 10 days from the filing of the
supplemental petition, make a like examination of the supplemental
petition and certify to the result of the examination as provided in
Section 2936. If the certificate of the clerk shows any petition, or
any petition together with a supplemental petition, to be
insufficient, it shall be retained by him and kept as a public
record, without prejudice, however, to the filing of a new petition
to the same effect. But if, by the certificate of the clerk, any
petition, or any petition together with a supplemental petition, is
shown to be sufficient, the clerk shall forthwith present the
petition to the legislative body of the municipal corporation.

2938. The sufficiency or insufficiency of the petition shall not be
subject to review by the legislative body. After the election held
in pursuance of the petition, the sufficiency of the petition in any
respect shall not be subject to judicial review or be otherwise
questioned.

2939. In any city and county having a board of election
commissioners and a registrar of voters, the clerk of the legislative
body thereof shall immediately upon the filing of any petition with
him, transmit the petition to the board of election commissioners,
who shall forthwith deliver the petition to the registrar of voters,
who shall perform all the duties herein required to be performed in
other municipal corporations by the clerk of the legislative body
respecting the examination and certification of the petition. The
registrar of voters shall, upon making his certificate, forthwith
return the petition to the clerk, who shall thereupon present the
petition and the attached certificate to the legislative body of the
municipal corporation as provided in this article.