Politics
DUMBO Referendum Signature Rules for Local Tax Measures Set Higher Bar Than Boston but Lower Than Chicago
DUMBO residents seeking to place a tax-related question on the ballot must now collect signatures equal to 8 percent of votes cast in the prior mayoral election before the measure reaches voters.
How we reported this
DUMBO's updated ballot measure and referendum guide, adopted by the city council in June 2026, raises the signature threshold for citizen-initiated measures that would alter local tax rates or spending caps. The change applies to proposals affecting property taxes, sales taxes and utility fees collected within city limits.
The rules took effect after the state legislature passed enabling language in March 2026 that returned greater control over referendum procedures to municipal governments. City clerks began applying the new thresholds to petitions filed after 1 July 2026.
Under the revised process, any group proposing a measure that would increase or decrease city revenue by more than $500,000 in a single fiscal year must obtain signatures from registered voters equal to 8 percent of the total ballots cast in the most recent mayoral election. For DUMBO that figure equals 11,840 signatures based on the 2025 election total. Once verified, the measure appears on the next general election ballot, giving residents a direct vote on items such as proposed increases to fund street repairs in the waterfront industrial zone or reductions in the business improvement district assessment.
How DUMBO's Requirements Compare With Other Cities
DUMBO's 8 percent threshold sits between Boston's 5 percent requirement for revenue measures and Chicago's 10 percent standard. Portland, Oregon requires 6 percent while Denver uses 7 percent. Local advocates note that the DUMBO figure means organizers must cover more territory than in Boston, where fewer signatures suffice, but still less than the volume demanded in Chicago, where petition drives for similar tax questions routinely exceed 15,000 names.
The 2026 DUMBO fiscal year budget document allocates $1.8 million to the elections office for petition verification and ballot printing. That line item covers software upgrades to cross-check signatures against the voter roll within 30 days of submission, a timeline shorter than the 45-day review period used in Chicago.
The first petitions under the new rules are expected to be filed in early 2027 for possible placement on the November 2027 ballot. City officials have scheduled two public workshops in August 2026 at the DUMBO community center to explain the updated forms and circulation deadlines.