Local labor and activist groups are suing Tacoma and Pierce County, alleging that government officials illegally blocked a citizen-led initiative raising the city’s minimum wage to $20 from appearing on the November ballot.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 367, along with Tacoma For All and Tacoma Democratic Socialists of America, alleged the city and county did not act with the “reasonable promptness” required to ensure residents could vote on the initiative this November.

“It is fundamentally unfair, and contrary to statutory requirements, for local government to delay the processing of an initiative and to use that delay to deny ballot access,” stated the complaint, filed Tuesday in Pierce County Superior Court on Tuesday.

Tacoma spokesperson Dee Paul said in an email the

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