The Initiative and Referendum Process Use the form below to determine when to use an initiative packet or a referendum packet. Petition Matrix Choose a petition What are you trying to accomplish?I want to introduce and enact a new lawI want to approve or reject an act of the legislature You need to submit a Referendum Petition (pdf). You need to submit an Initiative Petition (pdf). If you are human, leave this field blank. Submit What’s the difference? The below columns outline the differences between the Initiative Petition and the Referendum Petition processes; including the legal references, when and how to submit a packet, and the timeline for process. *The information contained on this page should not be considered a substitute for reading the statutes and regulations in their entirety. Initiative Petition Information Packet and Legal References An initiative petition is the process that people, instead of the legislature, may use to introduce and enact a law.An initiative may not be proposed to dedicate revenue, to make or repeal appropriations, to create courts, to define the jurisdiction of courts or prescribe their rules, or to enact local or special legislation.The initiative petition procedures appear in Article XI of the Alaska Constitution, Alaska Statutes 15.45.010 through 15.45.245 and Title 6 Alaska Administrative Code 25.240.Many past attorney general opinions for ballot initiatives can be located on the division’s Initiative Petition Status webpage or at the Department of Law Resources page. Initiative Public Information Packet Initiative Petition Timeline A three member initiative committee files an initiative petition with the lieutenant governor with the proposed bill, signatures of 100 qualified registered voters to serve as sponsors and a $100 deposit.Within 60 calendar days after receipt, the lieutenant governor notifies the initiative committee if the application is denied or certified.If certified, signature petition booklets are prepared by the Division of Elections. Upon notification that booklets are available, the initiative committee has 365 days to collect signatures from qualified registered voters.Signatures must be equal in number to 10 percent of those who voted in the preceding general election, are residents in at least three-fourths of the house districts and who, in each of the house districts, are equal in number to seven percent of those who voted in the preceding general election in the house district.Once the initiative committee files the petition booklets with the Division of Elections, the division reviews and verifies signers in the booklets. The lieutenant governor notifies the initiative committee if the petition was properly or improperly filed within 60 days of receipt of the booklets.If properly filed, the ballot title and proposition will appear on the ballot of the first statewide primary, general or special election held after a legislative session has convened and adjourned and a period of 120 days has expired since the adjournment of the legislative session. Referendum Petition Information Packet and Legal References A referendum is the procedure by which the people approve or reject an act of the legislature.The referendum process may not be applied to dedication of revenues, to an appropriation, to local or special legislation, or to laws necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.The initiative petition procedures appear in Article XI of the Alaska Constitution, Alaska Statutes 15.45.250 through 15.45.465 and Title 6 Alaska Administrative Code 25.240.Past attorney general opinions for ballot referendums can be located on the division’s Referendum Petition Status webpage or at the Department of Law Resources page. Referendum Public Information Packet Referendum Petition Timeline The referendum petition application and petition booklet signature process must be completed and filed within 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session at which the act was passed for it to appear on a ballot.A three member referendum committee files a referendum petition with the lieutenant governor with the act to be referred, a statement of approval or rejection, signatures of 100 qualified registered voters to serve as sponsors and a $100 deposit.Within seven calendar days after receipt, the lieutenant governor notifies the referendum committee if the application is denied or certified.If certified, signature petition booklets are prepared by the Division of Elections and provided to the referendum committee to collect signatures from qualified registered voters.Signatures must be equal in number to 10 percent of those who voted in the preceding general election, are residents in at least three-fourths of the house districts and who, in each of the house districts, are equal in number to seven percent of those who voted in the preceding general election in the house district.Once the referendum committee files the petition booklets with the Division of Elections, the division reviews and verifies signers in the booklets. The lieutenant governor notifies the referendum committee if the petition was properly or improperly filed within 60 days of receipt of the booklets.If properly filed, the ballot title and proposition will appear on the ballot of the first statewide primary, general or special election held more than 180 days after adjournment of the legislative session at which the act was passed.