LEWISTON — Twin Cities voters could get an idea of whom would write a new, single-city charter beginning next month.
Would-be charter commissioners in both cities will begin collecting signatures Feb. 10 to get their names on the June ballot.
The top three vote-getters in each city will win the seats and the right to craft a founding document uniting the two cities, choosing a name for the new city, listing each community’s debts and assets, a name and location for city offices, rules of government and rules for the transition.
Residents of both cities will vote on the new charter, likely in November 2015.
A group of Twin Cities residents last year gathered enough signatures to require the creation of a Lewiston-Auburn Charter Commission.
The effort needed 2,000 signatures to get on the ballot — 1,000 from Lewiston and 1,000 from Auburn. According to state rules, voters will select six commissioners — three from Lewiston and three from Auburn.
Lewiston city councilors voted Tuesday to put the special election on the June 10 ballot.
“We wanted to hold it in conjunction with the state primary, so we will already have the polls open, the machine’s programmed and the election workers hired,” Lewiston City Clerk Kathy Montejo said. “So it’s not costing us any extra money.”
Auburn City Clerk Sue Clements-Dallaire said Auburn councilors will be asked at their Jan. 21 meeting to set their charter commission election.
“We are recommending June 10, as well, but they will vote on it,” she said.
In Lewiston, would-be commissioners will have until April 11 to collect 100 signatures — the same number required for candidates to get their names on the mayoral ballot.
“Of course, the mayor is the only citywide city official seat in Lewiston and these are citywide seats,” Montejo said. “According to state rules, we have to match what’s in our charter.”
Clements-Dallaire said Auburn candidates have until March 27 to collect their signatures. She’s not sure how many will be required. Candidates for Auburn mayor must collect 100 signatures, but candidates for at-large council seats need 25 signatures.
“I’m waiting to hear from our city attorney to look into that,” she said.
There’s no limit to the number of people who can submit petitions to be on the ballot in either city.
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