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Towns and cities have different governing structure, so if you’re working on changing a local law, figure out how yours works. Most have a mayor and some kind of city council. Some also have other positions within the city government, including city managers and commissioners. Some states allow you to file local or state referendums as a citizen, but most states do not. If you are in a state that does not, you need to get the city council or mayor to support your idea and bring it to a vote. Check to see you your state is one of them. In these states, you can file your intention to have your law on the ballot, then gather signatures, and finally file the petition with the signatures with the law. Then it will be put on the ballot. In most states, it’s not quite this easy. This is a way for you to bring up your issue to local lawmakers. Check your city to see when there are meetings for constituents to bring up issues. You usually have a limited time to speak, so be prepared and be professional. You might have to go to many meetings before people begin to take you seriously, but this is an important step. Look at their websites. See what kinds of laws they have promoted in the past, and if yours might fit in. If you are going to change a local law, you need support from someone in the city government. If you don’t want to approach the mayor directly, choose the council member from your district or one you think will be sympathetic to your cause. Tell them about your pattern of attending community meetings. Lay out your ideas for a law change. Bring copies of your proposed changes to share with the lawmaker. Ask their opinion on the feasibility of your goals. Listen to their suggestions. If they say that they need a petition with signatures from citizens showing support for your idea (probably at least 500 signatures), that’s your next step. Or they might like it just as it is and say that they will take it to the rest of the council. Once you have presented the law and anything else they have asked for (like a petition), you have to wait and see what happens. The city council might choose to vote on your idea soon, or it might have to wait behind other outstanding business. It also might be that your law comes up for a vote but fails. In that case, you will need to do more work in talking to the city council and mayor, trying to get it heard and voted on again, this time with adequate support. If your law doesn’t go anywhere the first time, talk to more constituents, make allies, and do the process again. This time, think about getting the media involved, having meetings specifically about the issue, and put up signs to help raise consciousness about the idea.
Learn how city government works. File an initiative or referendum if you’re in a state where citizens can. Go to community meetings if you can’t file a referendum. Research the mayor and council members. Meet with your chosen lawmaker. Wait for the lawmakers to take action. Keep in mind that changing a law can take a long time. Try again.