Counting Stem Cell Signatures in California: $5.5 Billion Initiative Edges Closer to Ballot

Backers of a $5.5 billion stem cell ballot initiative have turned in more than 760,000 signatures, edging closer to success in their efforts to qualify the measure for the November ballot.

At stake is the survival of California's stem cell agency, which is running  out of money and will begin shutting down this year unless more cash is forthcoming.  Known formally as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the agency was provided with $3 billion when voters created it in 2004.

Whether the initiative will be presented to voters is still in question. The proposal requires only 623,212 valid signatures to make the ballot, but many may be disqualified. Indeed, the very early disqualification rate is running at nearly 18 percent. The total number of signatures in the state's raw count is 760,601.

The disqualification rate is based on results from only four small counties out of 58 in California.   

Election officials have not finished their preliminary look at big counties such as Los Angeles which has reported 298,147 unverified signatures and San Diego with 99,899 unverified signatures. Orange County has not even filed its raw count.

The lowest number of valid signatures were reported in the remote counties of Alpine (five verified signatures) and Modoc(six). 

Today's signature figures are the first independent look at how well the initiative's backers have done with their petition drive. They have said they have turned in 925,000, but that was not yet substantiated by the state figures which are still missing reports from several large counties. 

The door has closed for submission of any further signatures, according to the California Secretary of State's office. The deadline for county officials to finish their verification process is June 24. 

Here is how the state election officials explain how the count proceeds:

"If the raw count of signatures equals 100% or more of the total number of signatures needed to qualify the initiative or referendum measure, the Secretary of State notifies the county elections officials that they will have to randomly sample signatures for validation, to ensure petitions were signed by registered voters.

"If the result of the random sample indicates that the number of valid signatures represents between 95% and 110% of the required number of signatures to qualify the initiative or referendum measure for the ballot, the Secretary of State directs the county elections officials to verify every signature on the petition. This process is referred to as a full check of signatures. 

"If the total number of valid signatures is less than 95% of the number of signatures required to qualify the initiative or referendum measure, the proposed measure will fail to qualify for the ballot. 

"For an initiative measure, if the number of valid signatures is greater than 110% of the required number of signatures, the initiative measure will be eligible for the ballot. Eligible initiative measures will become qualified for the ballot on the 131st day prior to the next statewide general election unless withdrawn by the proponent(s) prior to its qualification by the Secretary of State."

Look for a fresh report and update on the latest figures early this evening right here on the California Stem Cell Report.