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CHR. HAITSUKA: Is there any further discussion? I'm just trying to think about the comments about timing and if there is anything we can do, or should do, to try and address that. MS. JARMAN: Can I ask Pat Nakamoto a question? Pat, how often do have people calling up asking to have their names taken off a petition? PAT NAKAMOTO (At this time Pat Nakamoto, Elections Program Administrator, came forward to address members of the Charter Commission.) MS. NAKAMOTO: Not that often; but we have had people withdraw their names from petitions in the past. MS. JARMAN: Do you see any problem with this fifteen day window and not having notification? Is it enough of a problem to have to require the petitioner's committee to take out an ad that nobody reads anyways? How many people read the notices in the paper? If it's not that big of a problem, it seems to me we are putting out a requirement on a petitioner's committee that isn't really that necessary. I just wanted to know how may there were. She doesn't have to answer; I was just making a comment. MS. HECHT: There was only one person that withdrew their signature from the 2% petition. MS. JARMAN: My sense is that it is fine the way it is. CHR. HAITSUKA: I looked at this section, and there is no timing provision in it; so I don't think the committee would be bound by any timing provision. It is just stating various provisions that need to be done in order for the petition to be valid. Is it fine without adding in the publication requirements? I think the only problem with that is if we are going to have a deadline for somebody to withdraw, they should have notice. So I think we should either take out the deadline, or address it a different way. MR. SHUMWAY: Could it be addressed by like a certain number of days after they sign the petition? CHR. HAITSUKA: I guess so, but it would have to be before a certain time though, because once the petition is sent up and certified, I think it might be too late. MS. NAKAMOTO: The only thing I wanted to say was that in the past, when there is a petition, there are those who are for the amendment, and those that are against. I recall in the past that those who oppose an amendment purchased an ad asking people who wanted to withdraw. There was a form in the newspaper that they could complete and turn back in to our office. That is how some of the withdrawals were done in the past. C