A memo sent July 27 to San Marcos City Council by interim City Clerk Elizabeth Treviño certified that Ground Game Texas and Mano Amiga—the two organizations that led the petition drive—submitted 10,624 signatures, of which 4,667 were deemed valid by her office.
The city charter requires 4,182 signatures, and according to a city document declaring recertification by the city clerk provided by city staff to Community Impact Newspaper, the petition is valid.
Petitioners are pushing for an ordinance that would eliminate enforcement of low-level marijuana offenses in San Marcos.
According to city charter information provided by city staff, the council now has 30 days to either pass the ordinance without amending it or call an election for the adoption of the initiated ordinance without amendments.
There are two items on the agenda for the Aug. 2 meeting of San Marcos City Council both to formally receive the ordinance and also to hold a discussion to add it to the November ballot or consider passing the ordinance. In either case it would need to be included on the next council meeting agenda as well.
In the spring of this year, the coalition registered more than 500 Texas State University students to vote while gathering signatures for the initiative. Due to the fact that their signatures were gathered for the initiative on the same day of voter registration, their signatures were not counted by the city clerk’s office, according to a press release from Mano Amiga.
“This people-powered campaign is focused on passing a transformative policy that will end tickets and arrests for low-level marijuana arrests," said Mike Siegel, political director for Ground Game Texas in the press release. “This campaign is also engaging young voters and infrequent voters and helping us identify thousands of local residents who care about public policy but need to update their registration. We are excited to partner with Mano Amiga in this effort.”
San Marcos City Council meets Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. at 630 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos.
