NEWPORT BEACH : 7,400 Names Handed In on Council Terms

About 7,400 signatures were submitted to the county registrar of voters this week by a group of Newport Beach residents hoping to limit City Council members to two terms.

The valid signatures of 6,500 registered voters are needed for the charter amendment to qualify for the November ballot.

Janine Gault, a spokeswoman for the residents, said that she found a lot of voter interest in the measure on both sides of the issue.

“There was very little apathy,” she said. “Even if they don’t agree with the measure, people have strong feelings.”

Although the registrar’s office has 30 days in which to verify the signatures, officials there said they are going to try to check each signature in the next two weeks so that the City Council will know by its July 23 meeting whether the amendment will qualify for the ballot, according to City Clerk Wanda Raggio.

Should the amendment make the ballot, the council will examine the possibility of adopting an alternative measure, with wording that would allow for current City Council members to retain their offices even if the amendment passes. During earlier meetings, council members have said that to spend the money to run for office and then to be removed if the amendment passes would be risky and unfair.