petitions

Several gay-rights groups from across the country are developing databases of names and address of people who signed petitions supporting traditional marriage measures. These searchable databases would be put on the Internet open to all interested parties.

A group called KnowThyNeighboor.org has already placed names of traditional marriage supporters on he Internet in states like Oregon, Florida and Arkansas.

We want to hear from you, should every vote count? VOTE NOW!

Yesterday, Citizens in Charge Foundation President Paul Jacob was in Missouri testifying against House Bill 228. The legislation would harm the initiative and referendum process by imposing a residency restriction, banning the payment of petition circulators on a per signature basis and prohibiting citizens from carrying more than one petition at a time.

The bill would require all circulators to be Missouri residents and would bar them from being paid on a per signature basis….

MORE

Recently news has focused on the battle over petitions and the intent of the voter.

Petition and petition circulators are hot button issues in states with the initiative and referendum process (I&R). Each year hundreds of petition gathers (a.k.a. petition circulators) collect thousands of signatures from voters on a large array of issues. And every year thousands are invalidated because of mistakes made by notary, the petition circulator or government official.

Today the Texas Senate had a hearing on Bill 690, which significantly increases the number of signatures needed to get an initiative on the local ballot and creates an unconstitutional hurdle to the process.

Critics of the legislations, rumored to have been requested by the Austin Chamber of Commerce, are worried that the new hurdles will restrict citizens from placing an item on the ballot by making it too hard and expensive for an average citizen.  Local activists are worried that they, the “little guy” will become a non-entity if this legislation passes.

Today the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Arizona’s appeal on Brewer v Nader, (08-648).The high court has decided to let the decision stand nullifying the state residency requirement for petition circulators.

This case has a major impact for ballot initiative and referendum rights as well as third party candidates trying to get on the ballot.

Ballot Access News reported on the implications of the decision:

EDITORIAL: Power play

Thu, Mar 5 2009 — Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal

Contrary to what Mayor Oscar Goodman and his loyal followers on the Las Vegas City Council might believe, they do not enjoy unlimited power — not in matters affecting city policy and downtown redevelopment, and certainly not in quashing the referendum process to sabotage an election.

Citizens in Maine have united in protest against two unconstitutional bills currently moving through the Maine legislature that would severely limit their first amendment rights. Several grassroots activists and community organizers are calling on the legislature to act on LD 28 and LD 530 and protect Maine citizens

TEXT OF LETTER.

Citizens in Charge is calling on Virginia Governor Tim Kaine to sign HB 2465/ SB 1394 into law. HB 2465/SB 1394 would protect citizens who petition for removal of a public official from arbitrary sanctions and technical dismissals. The legislation is a response to the case of several Gloucester citizens who were fined $80,000 in legal fees after their attempt to remove several officials was thrown out on a technicality.

This evening, Paul Jacob, President of Citizens in Charge Foundation, was presented with the “Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award” from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Jacob was honored by CPAC for his commitment to citizen-led reform and his recent fight to uphold initiative rights in Oklahoma, where he had been indicted for helping citizens gather signatures for a state spending cap measure.

Justice Done - Sort Of

Wed, Feb 18 2009 — Source: Forbes Magazine

In 2007 Paul Jacob, an anti-big-government grassroots activist, and two colleagues were indicted by the state of Oklahoma. Their crime? They had hired people who were not Oklahoma citizens to gather petition signatures for a referendum to impose spending limits on Oklahoma’s profligate legislators. State law said that only residents could pass out petitions, but Jacobs had actually spoken with officials before the petition drive and been assured that as long as signature-gatherers were staying in the state—even if only temporarily—they could carry out their tasks.

Opponents of a new tougher anti-smoking ordinance for the city of Salina have begun a petition drive aimed at repealing the measure before it takes effect.

But if the petition drive succeeds in bringing the measure to a vote in April, and a repeal is approved, the current ordinance restricting restaurant smoking to between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. would remain in effect. The current ordinance doesn’t apply to bars.

A patriotic outfit associated with the opposition People’s Party (SLS) is determined to submit 2,500 voter signatures necessary to start procedure for a referendum on Croatia’s accession to NATO on Monday. .. (READ MORE)

OKLAHOMA CITY – It was a “great day for justice” when Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson decided not to pursue criminal charges against three individuals accused of violating the state’s ban on out-of-state petition circulators, says Paul Jacob, one of the “Oklahoma Three.”