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By Sam Lounsberry. Originally published in the Daily Camera on April 22, 2020.
"As a global pandemic stifled the chance for direct democracy to have success via petitions to put measures on this year’s ballot, Boulder City Council, fearing possible legal reprisal, declined Tuesday night to throw a life preserver to local political groups needing thousands of signatures.
The proposed emergency ordinance would have temporarily allowed signatures gathered electronically to count toward thresholds resident-led initiatives must hit to put proposed city code changes before voters. The decision to shoot it down came on a 5-4 split. Mayor Sam Weaver was on the fence, but ultimately leaned to kill the idea to alter city practices around petition signature gathering efforts in light of the coronavirus and resulting prohibitions on congregating. Mayor Pro Tem Bob Yates and Council members Mark Wallach, Mirabai Nagle and Mary Young also voted against the proposition of changing how support can be garnered by petitioners."