FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joan M. Williams, Council Chief of Staff
Email: jwilliams@akronohio.gov
Phone: 330-375-2258
Akron City Council Leadership Expresses Disappointment At Lack of Timely Submission of Charter Amendment Petitions
Akron, Ohio, August 28, 2024 – On August 28th,2024 at 9:45 a.m., 507 part-petitions were filed with the Clerk of Council to submit a proposed Safety Forces Charter Amendment.
The lateness of the delivery of the petitions is concerning as the deadline for the issue to appear on the November 2024 regular ballot is September 6th. To expedite the review and avoid a costly special election, Council staff worked diligently to finish their initial process and submit the petitions to the Summit County Board of Elections for validation.
Akron City Council Leadership – Council President Margo Sommerville, Vice-President Jeff Fusco and Pro-Tem Brad McKitrick are disappointed that the petitions were not submitted in a timelier manner. As a result, a burden has been placed on City Council and Board of Elections staff members, ultimately resulting in staff overtime costs to the taxpayers.
Petitions were hand-delivered to the Summit County Board of Elections on August 28th at 2:00 p.m. The Board of Elections will validate the signatures and notify the Clerk if the petition is sufficient.
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