The statutes authorizing a city or its voters to amend the city’s charter permit two sorts of petitions by which a city’s voters can force a referendum on whether to amend the city’s charter in one of the particulars set out in G.S. 160A-101. For more information on legisaltive changes regarding petitions, please refer to the North Carolina State Board of Elections Website.

Referendum on council-initiated amendment.  G.S. 160A-103 permits a city’s voters to force a referendum on a charter amendment proposed and adopted by the city council.  The petitions necessary to force such a referendum must be submitted to the city clerk not later than 30 days after the day the city publishes notice that the charter amendment ordinance has been adopted.

Referendum on citizen-initiated amendment.  G.S. 160A-104 permits a city’s voters to propose a charter amendment and force a referendum on whether the amendment should be approved. 

Registering Petitions
G.S. 163-218, a part of the state election law, requires that any citizen petition be first registered with the appropriate county board of elections.

Form of Petitions
Petitions for citizen-initiated amendments (G.S. 160A-104).  G.S. 160A-104 requires that the petition “set forth the proposed amendments by describing them briefly but completely and with reference to the pertinent provisions of G.S. 160A-101.” 

Petitions for council-initiated amendments (G.S. 160A-103). G.S. 160A-103 requires that the petition “identify the ordinance to be submitted to a vote.”