Prop 19 didn't pass, as much as it saddens me and many others. But's it's now time to move forward and look towards 2011 and 2012. According to Ballotpedia.org There are 22 states where citizens may initiate laws/statues. What would it take to get all 22 states to get Marijuana law reform on their ballots by 2012?(2011 process should be starting about now) And what laws in those states need reforming/amending to allow Medical or Recreational marijuana? This is going to involve alot of research, and hopefully others out their can contribute.
I'll edit this post as information comes in. Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Starting a Ballot Initiative: How to Qualify an Initiative - Elections & Voter Information - California Secretary of State Valid Signatures: 5% of votes for governor. 375,533 (with curr. estimates of 7,510,662 votes, 11/4) Colorado Idaho Maine Massachusetts: Starting a Ballot Initiative: Elections: How to Place a Question on the State Election Ballot Valid Signatures: 3% of votes for governor. 68,622 (with curr. est. of 2,287,407, 11/4) Path to Ballot: Ten voters must sign original petition. Obtain valid registration certs sign by 3 members of their own town election commission. These certs and petition are due by the first Wednesday in August to the Office of the AG. "The same petition cannot have appeared on the ballot at either of the two immediately preceding biennial state elections" After getting petition back from AG with summary, must then submit to Secretary of Commonwealth(SOC). SOC will provide petition forms to be signed by reg. voters. These forms are available 14 days after file with the SOC. 3% of last governor's election votes must be required, and no more than 1/4th form any one county(about 17,155). After petition is validated by SOC, the petition goes to the House Clerk to go before the legislature. General court may not amend, but they may pass it and the governor may sign it into law. General court must act before the first Wednesday of May. If General Court rejects or fails to act, the (majority of) original ten signers may amend the inititative as long as it is "perfecting in nature" according to the AG. The ten may then request to the SOC for it to be put on the ballot, as long as they meet a new deadline and signature requirement. An addition "1/2 of 1%" of governor votes is required(about 11,437), with no more than 1/4th coming from one county(about 2,859). To Pass: 30% of all ballots casted must vote yes, and the ballot question must have a majority of votes.(meaning if voters all skip over it and only 10 people vote on this measure, it didn't pass) Law in Effect: 30 days after election(or 30 days after certified by Governors Council), so about Dec to Jan. Quick Summary: Ten voters create and sign ballot measure,submit to AG, and get official petitions from SOC. Get 69k signatures from voters. Submit to SOC, which eventually goes to State legislature. They either can vote to pass it, reject it, or fail to act. If it is rejected or failed to act, an additional 11.5k signatures are required, and it can go on the state ballot. Michigan Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon South Dakota Utah Washington Washington, D.C. Wyoming
A very big bankroll. You would need at minimum several hundred thousand signatures per state and in some of the bigger ones that number goes up into the millions. In certain states you also have a limited time period to collect them (i.e. has to be done within a single 180 day period).
Some of that statement is just false, which is why we need to learn about how to get ballot measures on the ballot. Massachusetts only requires 3% of the governor votes to get the measure in front of State Legislature, and then an additional "1/2 of 1%". In total this is 3.5%, which is only 80,059, well under "several hundred thousand". California has the largest population, and probably the largest number of voters for governor(i haven't looked this up to see if it matches with reality). They require 5%, which is about 375,533. Prop 19 group submitted about 700k in a year that required under 440k. This will involve alot of money, and yes many states do have limited time spans. I think the major hurdle hear is first writing the law that is to be petition. After that's done, you can almost try petitioning at each cycle with minor changes(in cases that marijuana laws change between cycles). To write the new laws, you must find and know the old laws you want to be done away with or improved.
You're right. I apologize, seems I must had a math error. With regards to the 700k in the year that required 440k I believe this is done to prevent issues with duplicate and invalid signatures being thrown out.