What is the minimum signature requirement for districts?

The minimum signature requirement for districts is specified as not less than 1 or 5% of total votes cast. This means that when organizing for a petition or similar process, a candidate or proponent needs to gather signatures from a number that is either a flat minimum (in this case, 1) or a percentage of the total number of votes that were cast in the last election. This provision is designed to ensure that there is a modest, yet sufficient, level of support within the community for proposals or candidates, preventing frivolous or unbacked initiatives from advancing.

The combination of a hard number like 1 and a percentage allows for flexibility; for instance, in smaller districts where voter turnout may be low, the minimum requirement adjusts to ensure that the threshold for valid support is reasonable. This balances the need for representative support with the practicalities of engaging democracy at the local level.

In contrast, other options may set different thresholds that do not align with the established legal requirements for petition signatures, which can result in misunderstandings about what is necessary to successfully get a proposal or candidate on the ballot. These provisions help encapsulate the governance principles meant to ensure that there is adequate public interest before advancing certain decisions.