California's $5.5 Billion Stem Cell Countdown: Total Now up to Nearly 540,000

California county elections officials have been tallying
signatures on stem cell initiative petitions for one month.

Nearly 27,000 signatures were added today as the $5.5 billion effort to rescue the California stem cell agency moved slowly towards an all-but-assured position on the November ballot

The proposed ballot initiative is aimed at saving the agency from its financial demise. The 15-year-old program is running out of cash and will begin closing its doors in the fall without more funds. 

Earlier this week, the California Stem Cell Report analyzed the trends in the tally, concluding that qualification is in the "virtual bag." 

Today's figures from state officials showed 537,558 verified signatures of registered voters, up from yesterday's 510,930. The campaign is hoping for 685,534. The qualification rate is steady at about 78 percent. If the qualification rate stays fractionally above 67 percent, the measure will be placed on the ballot.  

Look for the next update on the count Monday evening or early Tuesday on the California Stem Cell Report, your only independent source of information and news about the stem cell agency for the last 15 years.