Ref. 71’s fate expected Tuesday
THE NEWS TRIBUNE
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State Elections Director Nick Handy predicts that the Referendum 71 signature count will be finished Tuesday.
Handy reports that about 85 percent of the signatures have been checked. The sponsors of the measure, which seeks to repeal the latest expansion of domestic partnership rights, turned in 137,689 signatures on July 25.
To make the November ballot, petitions must hold 120,577 valid signatures.
Here are the numbers so far: As of Wednesday 117,069 signatures had been checked, 103,198 have been approved and 13,871 have been rejected.
The signature error rate currently is 11.85 percent. The overall rejection rate must not exceed 12.4 percent for R-71 to go on the ballot.
“We have said all along that this signature count will be too close to call, and that is still the case,” Handy said. “We’re not going to announce whether Referendum 71 qualifies or not until all of the signatures are reviewed.”
Handy said public interest in this process is unprecedented.
“Our office has never received so much interest from observers and the public, and never before has the Office of Secretary of State provided daily updates to the public with an opportunity to ask questions and provide reactions on a blog,” Handy said.
Online daily updates about the R-71 signature checking process are on its Web site. (Check the blog for a link.)
Peter Callaghan, The News Tribune
