- How many signatures have been gathered for presentation to election officials? Is that number based on an estimate or actual count?
- The campaign has said it has "no estimates to share." Does that mean that, in fact, it has estimates that it does not want to share? Is the campaign keeping a rolling total of signatures each day since it began its new mail-in effort?
- When will the petitions be presented to election officials?
- How long does the campaign think the count will take?
- Does the campaign plan to try to gather more signatures either beginning this week or after it receives information about the disqualification rate?
- Is there anything else I need to know?
Monday, April 20, 2020
Text of Questions to Campaign for $5.5 Billion Stem Cell Intiative
Here are the questions that the campaign for a $5.5 billion California stem cell research measure declined to address this morning. The questions were directed to the campaign by the California Stem Cell Report last Friday in connection with the campaign's then April 18 deadline for collecting signatures to qualify the measure for the fall ballot.
Friday, April 17, 2020
Correction
A item earlier today dealing with the signature-gathering campaign for a $5.5 billion ballot measure incorrectly said that the campaign had said it had gathered 935,000 signatures. The correct figure is 915,000.
$5.5 Billion California Stem Cell Proposal: Campaign Mum on Its Ballot Qualification Numbers
Backers of a $5.5 billion, proposed ballot measure said this morning that they still cannot provide a fresh estimate of the number of voter signatures they have in their effort to save the California stem cell research program from financial extinction.
The campaign faces a self-imposed deadline of Saturday to gather the needed signatures in its initiative petition drive, which was stymied when the coronavirus crisis hit the Golden State. While the deadline is self-imposed, it reflects the upcoming, tedious and time-consuming pace of signature verification by county election officials, who are additionally hampered by workplace restrictions currently in place.
If county officials have not verified 623,212 signatures of registered voters by June 15, the stem cell initiative will not be placed on the ballot. The campaign has said early this month that it has 915,000 signatures and needs to collect a total of 950,000 by tomorrow. That reflected a slippage from last Saturday on an earlier deadline.
The excess beyond 623,212 is needed because high percentages of signatures are determined to be invalid in normal petition circulation efforts, sometimes as high as 50 percent.
Responding to questions from the California Stem Cell Report, the campaign released a statement this morning that said,
Without additional funding, the agency will begin to close its doors next fall.
Other ballot initiatives are facing the same signature-gathering pressures in California and elsewhere in the country. The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom carried a piece yesterday looking at the issues throughout the United States. It quoted a backer of one initiative effort in California to permit collection of signatures for future initiatives electronically as saying, "It's a killer. We're done."
See here for the exact process of verifying signatures and certifying a measure for the ballot.
Correction: An earlier version of this item incorrectly said that the campaign had said that it had gathered 935,000 signatures. The correct figure is 915,000.
The campaign faces a self-imposed deadline of Saturday to gather the needed signatures in its initiative petition drive, which was stymied when the coronavirus crisis hit the Golden State. While the deadline is self-imposed, it reflects the upcoming, tedious and time-consuming pace of signature verification by county election officials, who are additionally hampered by workplace restrictions currently in place.
If county officials have not verified 623,212 signatures of registered voters by June 15, the stem cell initiative will not be placed on the ballot. The campaign has said early this month that it has 915,000 signatures and needs to collect a total of 950,000 by tomorrow. That reflected a slippage from last Saturday on an earlier deadline.
The excess beyond 623,212 is needed because high percentages of signatures are determined to be invalid in normal petition circulation efforts, sometimes as high as 50 percent.
Responding to questions from the California Stem Cell Report, the campaign released a statement this morning that said,
"The campaign is receiving petitions in the mail every day, however it takes time to count and verify incoming petitions.
"While we don’t have an estimate to share, we do know that over the last week website traffic has increased, with more than 10,000 people visiting our signature gathering page....
"The campaign is aiming to give the counties as much time as possible to verify signatures. However, the landscape is changing on a daily basis, and adapting to new challenges during these uncertain times requires nimble decision-making and flexibility."The state stem cell agency, formally known as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), is running out of the $3 billion it was originally provided in 2004. That was when another ballot initiative created the agency, supporting it with state bond funding. The agency has no other significant source of cash. CIRM could have asked the legislature and the governor for more financial support earlier, but such an effort would have faced a difficult political road.
Without additional funding, the agency will begin to close its doors next fall.
Other ballot initiatives are facing the same signature-gathering pressures in California and elsewhere in the country. The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom carried a piece yesterday looking at the issues throughout the United States. It quoted a backer of one initiative effort in California to permit collection of signatures for future initiatives electronically as saying, "It's a killer. We're done."
See here for the exact process of verifying signatures and certifying a measure for the ballot.
Correction: An earlier version of this item incorrectly said that the campaign had said that it had gathered 935,000 signatures. The correct figure is 915,000.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Info Sources on Stem Cells and Covid-19
A California stem cell blog is digging into research involving cell therapies aimed at the coronavirus, and this week it posted a summary of the work that is underway from Texas to Israel.
The blog is called The Niche and is produced by UC Davis stem cell researcher Paul Knoepfler. On Monday, he posted a quick look at six efforts. He also has probed claims involving Rudy Giuliani. On Tuesday, Knoepfler recommended a comprehensive view of of Covid-19 efforts published by the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, an industry group.
From the East Coast, STAT news has made its impressive coronavirus coverage available free online. STAT's stories are generally several cuts above, in terms of quality, most of the mainstream media. The STAT coverage explores more deeply many of the scientific issues along with how the work is financed and carried out by biomedical companies, including stem cell approaches. Here is a link to the STAT coronavirus lineup.
The blog is called The Niche and is produced by UC Davis stem cell researcher Paul Knoepfler. On Monday, he posted a quick look at six efforts. He also has probed claims involving Rudy Giuliani. On Tuesday, Knoepfler recommended a comprehensive view of of Covid-19 efforts published by the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, an industry group.
From the East Coast, STAT news has made its impressive coronavirus coverage available free online. STAT's stories are generally several cuts above, in terms of quality, most of the mainstream media. The STAT coverage explores more deeply many of the scientific issues along with how the work is financed and carried out by biomedical companies, including stem cell approaches. Here is a link to the STAT coronavirus lineup.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Time Running Out for $5.5 Billion California Stem Cell Ballot Initiative
Backers of a proposed $5.5 billion, stem cell ballot initiative are pressing on with their cyberspace campaign to assure that the measure will qualify for the November ballot despite "a landscape (that) is changing on a daily basis."
But as the campaign's website notes, "Time is running out."
No fresh figures for the number of signatures have been released since early this month. The campaign has also extended to this Thursday its self-imposed deadline for collecting 950,000 signatures. The campaign originally hoped to have the signatures in hand last Saturday.
At stake is the financial life of the California stem cell agency, which is running out of money and is expected to begin the process of closing its doors next fall unless it receives an infusion of cash. The ballot initiative needs 623,212 signatures of registered voters to make the November ballot. At last report, it had 935,000. However, the disqualification rate of signatures on petitions can run as high as 50 percent.
County election officials are also working under Covid-19 conditions, which can mean a reduced work force and limited hours for verifying signatures. At some point, moreover, the mechanics of printing and delivering the ballot information that must go to nearly 20 million voters come into play for state election officials.
Responding to a query from the California Stem Cell Report, campaign spokeswoman Sarah Melbostad released a statement yesterday that said:
Earlier this month, the stem cell campaign launched an "unprecedented" electronic, mail-in effort to gather the final number of signatures that were judged to be needed. It is a daunting process to conduct online and then have the petitions returned in the mail.
The campaign web site stresses the urgency and pressing need for more signatures. "The campaign must gather the last 35,000 signatures through mail-in submissions by April 16th," the web site says.
But as the campaign's website notes, "Time is running out."
No fresh figures for the number of signatures have been released since early this month. The campaign has also extended to this Thursday its self-imposed deadline for collecting 950,000 signatures. The campaign originally hoped to have the signatures in hand last Saturday.
At stake is the financial life of the California stem cell agency, which is running out of money and is expected to begin the process of closing its doors next fall unless it receives an infusion of cash. The ballot initiative needs 623,212 signatures of registered voters to make the November ballot. At last report, it had 935,000. However, the disqualification rate of signatures on petitions can run as high as 50 percent.
County election officials are also working under Covid-19 conditions, which can mean a reduced work force and limited hours for verifying signatures. At some point, moreover, the mechanics of printing and delivering the ballot information that must go to nearly 20 million voters come into play for state election officials.
Responding to a query from the California Stem Cell Report, campaign spokeswoman Sarah Melbostad released a statement yesterday that said:
"This new virtual signature gathering effort was launched just last week, and as it takes time to count the incoming signatures by mail, we do not have an updated number to share.
"The campaign is aiming to give the counties as much time as possible to verify signatures, however the landscape is changing on a daily basis, and adapting to new challenges during these uncertain times requires nimble decision-making and flexibility.
"Voters can continue to visit our website https://caforcures.com/help-The stem cell measure is not the only initiative that is facing problems. It could well be that the governor may take some sort of emergency action to extend deadlines for all of them.us-qualify/ to sign the petition and learn how they can help ensure the continuation of treatments and cures that could save or improve the lives of millions."
Earlier this month, the stem cell campaign launched an "unprecedented" electronic, mail-in effort to gather the final number of signatures that were judged to be needed. It is a daunting process to conduct online and then have the petitions returned in the mail.
The campaign web site stresses the urgency and pressing need for more signatures. "The campaign must gather the last 35,000 signatures through mail-in submissions by April 16th," the web site says.
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