Central Mississippi mayor petitions against Initiative 65

MADISON, MISS. (WCBI) – A central Mississippi mayor is challenging how Initiative 65 made its way to the November general election ballot.

Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler filed the challenge with the state Supreme Court.

She argues that the number of signatures gathered to get Initiative 65 on the ballot does not meet standards set in the state constitution.

Mississippi’s initiative process requires petitioners to gather signatures from registered voters, getting no more than one-fifth of the signatures from any congressional district.

Supporters of Initiative 65 say their petition process met the requirements set by the constitution and by a 2009 attorney general’s opinion.