The issue of whether or not the pit bull dog ban in Salina will be rescinded will be decided in a special election. City Commissioners Monday evening unanimously decided to send the issue to a vote of the people.

Back on October 27th a petition to repeal the pit bull dog ban in Salina was presented to the Salina City Manager’s Office. Late last week the Saline County Election Officer validated the petition was signed by electors equal to 25% of those who voted in the preceding regular City election.

The issue Monday went before city commissioners. It required the city commission to either pass the ordinance to repeal sections of the Salina City Code related to dog Breed Specific Regulations, or call for a special election for voter consideration of the ordinance. They chose to call a special election.

Salina City Manager Jacob Wood will work with Saline County Clerk / County Election Officer Jamie Doss on the specifics of the election. There is the possibility it could be a mail-in vote.

Once the election is complete, the issue cannot be revisited for ten years.

It’s estimated the special election will cost between $60,000 and $80,000. There is no timetable of when the vote will be held, but state law indicates it must be held “forthright”.

The pit bull ban was enacted by the city commission back in 2004. Prior to the law being passed there were 24 pit bull bite incidents in a two year span, between 2003 – 2004. Since that time, over the next 15 years there were 17.

In December of 2019 the issue was revisited again. At that time Salina City Commissioners voted 3 – 2 to not overturn the breed specific ordinance which makes the dog illegal to have within city limits.

A similar petition was submitted in September of last year, and fell 22 signatures short of the required number.