A group of Claremont citizens have undertaken an effort to ask voters to amend the Claremont City Charter. With voter approval, the charter amendment will allow a number of citizens equal to 10% of registered votes cast in the past municipal election to place referendum questions onto the ballot by petition. The charter amendment has been received by the Claremont City Clerk, who will vet the initial 30 signatures and then forward the question to the NH Secretary of State and Attorney General for review.
Once state officials approve the text of the amendment, additional signatures will be required, for a total of 15% of the voters in the last election, prior to the charter amendment question being placed on the ballot. The requirement for 15% of voters in the last municipal election to place a charter amendment on the ballot is per RSA-49B-5.
Should the proposed charter amendment succeed with Claremont voters after being placed on the ballot, it will become possible in the future to place referendum questions onto the ballot by petition of 10% of the voters in the last municipal election. This is the same as the requirement currently found in the Lebanon City Charter, which has been used successfully by Lebanon voters since 1983.
Sam Killay
Claremont, NH
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