A group supporting the creation of a public power utility in San Diego, Calif., is voicing confidence that it has collected enough signatures from voters in the city to have the San Diego City Council take action on the group’s proposal to replace investor-owned San Diego Gas & Electric.
The group, Power San Diego, fell short of the requirement to gather just over 80,000 signatures to get the public power initiative on the November 2024 ballot.
However, members of the San Diego City Council have the power to place the question up for a popular vote if the City Clerk verifies that Power San Diego has collected at least 24,000 valid signatures, it said on May 14.
“We feel confident that we will pass the 24,000 voter threshold needed to put this back in front of the full City Council,” said Dorrie Bruggemann, Power San Diego’s Senior Campaign Coordinator. “We’d like to see City Council Members legitimately respond to their constituents' concerns. The movement for public power in San Diego is really just beginning.”
Nearly 500 volunteers carried petition packets, thousands took advantage of a late in the game mail-in option, and over 30,000 City of San Diego voters signed, Power San Diego said.
Power San Diego plans to announce the City Clerk’s signature validation total on its website.
APPA offers a variety of resources on its website related to municipalization.
