Palau's president Tommy Remengesau is pushing for a 2004 referendum to permit dual citizenship for Palauans in the United States, taking the petition route after he said Congress failed to act.
In his People's Initiative, Mr Remengesau also wants to ask the voters to reduce Palau National Congress to one house instead of two and combine the president and vice-president on one election ticket.
Mr Remengesau needs 25 per cent of the voters to sign a petition for a referendum.
He says he had started now to allow enough time for public education on the questions and then to prepare the ballots.
The vote would coincide with the 2004 November elections.
The president said having Congress call for the referendum would have saved time and money, but he asked for action two years ago and time is running short.
According to Congressional documents, the House agreed to putting the question of dual citizenship and one-ticket to the voters, but that resolution remains in the Senate a year later.
