When any question is to be submitted to the voters of a code city, or when a proposition is to be submitted to the voters of an area under provisions of this title, the question or proposition shall be advertised as provided for nominees for office, and in such cases there shall also be printed on the ballot a ballot title for the question or proposition in the form applicable under RCW 82.14.036, 82.46.021, or 82.80.090 or as otherwise expressly required by state law. The ballot title shall be prepared by the attorney for the code city.

Severability—Effective date—1993 c 256: See notes following RCW 29A.84.280.

Severability—1979 ex.s. c 18: See note following RCW 35A.01.070.

Upon the filing of a ballot title as defined in RCW 35A.29.120, the county auditor shall forthwith notify the persons proposing the measure of the exact language of the ballot title. If the persons filing any local question covered by RCW 35A.29.120 are dissatisfied with the ballot title formulated by the attorney for the code city or by the county prosecuting attorney, they may appeal to the superior court of the county where the question is to appear on the ballot, as provided in RCW 29A.36.090.

Elections for code cities shall comply with general election law.

Initiative and referendum petitions authorized to be filed under provisions of this title, or authorized by charter, or authorized for code cities having the commission form of government as provided by chapter 35.17 RCW, shall be in substantial compliance with the provisions of RCW 35A.01.040 as to form and content of the petition, insofar as such provisions are applicable; shall contain a true copy of a resolution or ordinance sought to be referred to the voters; and must contain valid signatures of registered voters of the code city in the number required by the applicable provision of this title. Except when otherwise provided by statute, referendum petitions must be filed with the clerk of the legislative body of the code city within ninety days after the passage of the resolution or ordinance sought to be referred to the voters, or within such lesser number of days as may be authorized by statute or charter in order to precede the effective date of an ordinance: PROVIDED, That nothing herein shall be construed to abrogate or affect an exemption from initiative and/or referendum provided by a code city charter. The clerk shall transmit the petition to the county auditor who shall determine the sufficiency of the petition under the rules set forth in RCW 35A.01.040. When a referendum petition is filed with the clerk, the legislative action sought to be referred to the voters shall be suspended from taking effect. Such suspension shall terminate when: (1) There is a final determination of insufficiency or untimeliness of the referendum petition; or (2) the legislative action so referred is approved by the voters at a referendum election.

Elective officers of code cities may be recalled in the manner provided in chapter 29A.56 RCW.