EDITORIAL: Signature requirements a moving target in NLV

The Culinary union is pushing an ill-advised rent control initiative in North Las Vegas, but as long as the petition drive meets the statutory requirements and gathers the requisite signatures, it should be allowed on the ballot. A shaky ruling by the city clerk threatens to scuttle the effort.

In May, the union announced that rising rents and housing costs drove officials to take out a petition to qualify a ballot question putting limits on rent hikes in North Las Vegas. Less than two months later, union officials held a rally to celebrate the submission of nearly 3,400 signatures in support of the proposal, far exceeding the 475 signatures they said were necessary to put the question on the November ballot.

Last week, however, City Clerk Jackie Rodgers refused to certify the petition because of a lack of valid signatures. Ms. Rodgers said that the magic number was actually 3,968 and that the union had submitted only 2,679 that checked out.

The dispute is rather odd. As one might expect, organizers of the effort say they verified with North Las Vegas the signature requirements before embarking upon their endeavor. The Nevada Constitution outlines that local referendums must gather a number of signatures from registered voters “equal to 15 percent or more of the voters who voted at the last preceding general county or municipal election.” When the union announced its drive, the last North Las Vegas municipal election had taken place in 2019, and turnout was low with only one race on the ballot.

Ms. Rodgers argues, however, that the larger number arises because another municipal election has since taken place — the June 14 primary — in which turnout was higher than in 2019. Using balloting on that day as the benchmark increases the necessary number of signatures to more than 3,950.

It’s true that union officials could have done themselves a favor by gathering more signatures in anticipation that last month’s primary might play into the equation. Ms. Rodgers also could have made things easier by informing petition circulators at some point that she believed the 2019 standard no longer applied. Clear communication could have solved this issue.

But it’s more than unfair to make the requisite signatures a moving target.

Rent control is an awful idea that will do long-term damage to housing production and stability in North Las Vegas. Yet the Culinary and supporters of this market intervention have every right to use the initiative process to make their case before voters. Moving the signature standards after the petitioners begin the process represents an undue burden that diminishes the rights of citizens to engage in direct democracy.