Citizens in Charge

Proponents must first file an application and leave a
deposit with the Lieutenant Governor’s office. The deposit is $100 made
payable to the State of Alaska; it will be refunded if the petition is properly
filed and the measure is certified for the ballot. The application must
contain the signatures of 3 prime sponsors with a statement that they are
the initiative committee representing all sponsors. Proponents must also file
with the application a full copy of the proposed bill, and the signatures of
at least 100 qualified voters who will serve as sponsors for circulation
purposes. A copy of the proposed bill must be attached to each
signature page; and each signature page must contain a statement that
the voter signed the application with the proposed bill attached.

After the application is filed, the Lieutenant Governor has the 100
signatures reviewed by the Division of Elections for verification of the
required 100 qualified voters. At this time, the Department of Law reviews
the application for legal content and advises the Lieutenant Governor.
The application would be denied if it is not in proper form or does not
include all required elements, there are an insufficient number of qualified
voter sponsors, or the bill covers an issue restricted by the constitution. The
proposed bill must be confined to one subject and the subject of the bill
must be expressed in the title which must contain the enacting clause “Be
it enacted by the People of the State of Alaska.” The bill can not deal with
subjects restricted under the Alaska Constitution; namely, dedicate
revenues, make or repeal appropriations, create courts, define jurisdiction
of courts, or enact local or special legislation.

When the application is certified, the Lieutenant Governor will notify
sponsors of acceptance and include a copy of the Department of Law’s
formal legal opinion and impartial summary. The prime sponsors have the
opportunity to review the impartial summary and title of the bill proposed
by the Department of Law. The Division of Elections is responsible for
printing 500 petition booklets and the initial distribution of the booklets to
the prime sponsors. The prime sponsors distribute petition booklets to each
of the other qualified sponsors who will circulate the petition and gather
the required signatures.

Proponents file signatures with the Lieutenant Governor who must
review them within 60 days from the date the petition was filed. If enough
valid signatures have been submitted, the proposition will be placed on
the election ballot of the first statewide general, special or primary
election that is held after the petition has been filed, a legislative session
has convened or adjourned, and a period of 120 has expired since the
adjournment of the legislative session.

Excerpted from the Initiative & Referendum Almanac by M. Dane Waters.

Click here to view a copy of the state constitution.