DES MOINES, Iowa - A group opposing Des Moines Public Schools' plan to build a $19.5 million stadium says it has enough signatures to force a public vote on the issue.
The group Save Our Stadium says its petition meets the requirement for signatures totaling 30 percent of the voters who specifically took part in the school election last November.
Des Moines Public Schools says the requirement calls for a higher threshold, 30 percent of people who simply live in the school district who voted on anything in November.
The election in November marked the first time that school and city elections were held on the same day in the state.
The school board will take up the petition at its July meeting, and they can either accept or reject it.
The discrepancy in the required number of signatures, which is based on the interpretation of the Iowa Code, may have to be resolved in the courts,
Des Moines Public Schools contends that 7,501 signatures are needed to force a vote - 30% of the total 25,004 ballots cast last November election.
Save Our Stadium has submitted 7,120 signatures, more than the required 5,316 needed to meet 30% of the 17,719 voters who cast a ballot in the school board election.