Santa Ana : Backers of Initiative Submit Signed Petitions

Supporters of an initiative to change the form of city government Thursday turned in what they hope will be enough signatures to put the measure, which was defeated by 257 votes in the June 3 primary, back on the ballot in November.

The proposed reorganization calls for ward elections for City Council and a directly elected mayor.

Jim Lowman, a spokesman for the group, Santa Ana Merged Society of Neighbors, said 7,564 signatures were turned into the city clerk’s office just before 5 p.m.

“It’s ironic that we turned it in on the eve of July 4,” Lowman said. “Maybe we’ll bring some independence and freedom to the people of Santa Ana.”

In order to qualify for the ballot, 6,288 verified signatures are required. Lowman said it would take the clerk about 10 days to verify the petitions, which he said were gathered in six days.

He said the plan was “basically the same” as the one defeated in June, “with a few refinements in language.”

Should the measure qualify for the ballot, Lowman said, the group plans “to take an early position in opposition to the hate mail that was sent out (against the measure) in the last week of the last campaign. We don’t intend to use those tactics, but we do intend to call it to the attention of the voters before they do it again.”