Chapter 9.24
SOLICITATION OF SIGNATURES – INITIATIVES/REFERENDUMS

Sections:

9.24.010    Soliciting initiative/referendum signatures – Civil penalty.

9.24.020    Misdemeanor – Penalty for second, subsequent and other offenses.

9.24.010 Soliciting initiative/referendum signatures – Civil penalty.

It is a civil infraction with a monetary penalty of $50.00 for any person to:

A. Solicit or procure signatures upon an initiative or referendum petition for any consideration or gratuity or promise thereof;

B. Sign or decline to sign any initiative or referendum petition for any consideration or gratuity or promise thereof. (Ord. 554 § 1, 1994)

9.24.020 Misdemeanor – Penalty for second, subsequent and other offenses.

A. Any person who has a second or subsequent offense committed in violation of the provisions of LFPMC 9.24.010 or similar provisions of state and local law within a two-year period of having been convicted of a violation of the provisions of LFPMC 9.24.010 or similar provisions of state and local law, or who failed to appear as directed when served with a citation and notice to appear for a violation of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.

B. It is a misdemeanor for any person to:

1. Advertise in any manner that for consideration, he/she will solicit or procure signatures upon or influence or attempt to influence persons to sign or not to sign, to vote or not to vote upon an initiative or referendum petition, or to vote for or against any initiative or referendum;

2. Give or offer any consideration or gratuity to any person to induce him/her to sign or not to sign, or to induce him/her to solicit or procure signatures upon an initiative or referendum petition, or to induce him/her to vote for or against any initiative or referendum measure;

3. Interfere with or attempt to interfere with the right of any registered voter to sign or not to sign an initiative or referendum petition or to interfere with the right to vote for or against an initiative or referendum measure by threats or intimidation; or

4. Receive, handle, distribute, pay out or give away, directly or indirectly, money or any other thing of value contributed by or received from any person, firm, association or corporation whose residence or principal office is, or the majority of whose members of stockholders have their residence outside the city for any service rendered for the purpose of aiding in procuring signatures upon any initiative or referendum petition or for the purpose of aiding in the adoption or rejection of any initiative or referendum measure; provided, this subsection shall not apply to or prohibit any activity which is properly reported in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 42.17 RCW as presently constituted or as may be hereafter amended. (Ord. 554 § 2, 1994)