California's $5.5 Billion Stem Cell Countdown: The Official Tally Creeps Towards the Certainty of November

Watching the Signature Numbers

* The campaign is seeking 110 percent of the
legal requirement of 623,212 to avoid going to a 
prolonged full check. Sources: Secretary of State
June 9, 2020, California Stem Cell Report

The $5.5 billion initiative to save the California stem cell agency from its financial demise today made more slow progress in the official state count that is nearly certain to qualify it for the November ballot. 

The numbers already show that the measure is headed for the ballot unless something extremely unusual occurs. The California Stem Cell Report yesterday  analyzed the trends in the signature count, concluding that qualification is in the "virtual bag." 

Today's figures from state officials showed 492,349 verified signatures of registered voters, up from 484,973 on Monday. 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.  

Only 16 counties out of 58 have not filed their verification numbers.

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

Editor's note: An earlier version of this item said Monday's count of verified signatures was 481,689, which is actually from Friday. The correct figure for Monday is 484,973.