Marijuana initiative fails
to make November ballot
By Paul Ertelt
Of the Emerald
Petitioners for the Oregon Marijuana In
itiative failed to collect enough valid
signatures to get the measure on the ballot, but
measures to reinstate the death penalty,
establish a state lottery and limit property tax
will come before voters November 6, Secretary
of State Norma Paulus announced Friday.
The marijuana in
itiative, which would
have eliminated all
penalties for possession
and cultivation of mari
jauna for “personal con
sumption,” fell short of
the 63,521 verified
signatures needed to
place the measure on the
ballot.
Only 59,502 signatures
were verified as being
from properly registered
voters, said a spokesper
son for the state elections
division.
Petitioners failed to get
a similar measure on the
ballot in 1982. But eight
initiative measures and
one referral from the state
Legislature go to the
voters.
The referral is a joint house resolution to
change the minimum requirements for recall
ing a public official.
The initiative measures, if approved by the
voters, will:
•amend the state Constitution to limit real
property tax,
•create a citizens’ utility board to represent
rate payers at hearings to increase utility rates,
•amend the constitution to establish a state
lottery to finance economic development,
•establish statutory provisions for the opera
tion of the lottery if the amendment above
passes,
•exempt death
sentences from constitu
tional guarantees against
cruel and vindictive
punishment,
•require the death
penalty or imprisonment
for aggravated murder,
•revise numerous
criminal laws concerning
police power, evidence
and sentencing, and
•add regulations for
disposing of waste con
taining naturally occurr
ing radioactive isotopes.
Because of insufficient
signatures, the elections
division last week re
Emeiaid file graphic jected measures that
would: cut off voter
registration 20 days prior to elections, ban
state funding of abortions, and require that
state employees receive wages and benefits
comparable to those in similar jobs in private
industry.
Oregon pioneer of petitioning
By Shannon Kelley
Of the Emerald
Petitions — many people avoid them while
many respond and sign them. Some people
may even need to check a list to see if they’ve
already signed a certain one.
This year more petitions have been cir
culated in Oregon than in any year since the
1930s, says Greg McMurdo, deputy secretary
of state. Eight initiative petitions have
garnered enough signatures to be placed on
the November 6 ballot.
McMurdo says Oregon has taken advantage
of the initiative process more often than most
other states. In 1902, Oregon became the first
state to use an initiative process for state
measures, though many individual counties
started the process earlier. Since then, Orego
nians have exercised this right 240 times, he
says.
As part of the “people’s power movement,”
the initiative process was introduced by
William U-Ren and the Progressive Party,
McMurdo says. It was called the Oregon
System then, and most states have copied the
process in one form or another, he says. The
direct primary (1904) and the recall provisions
(1908) came about through initiatives.
There are three types of statewide ballot
measures, McMurdo says. The initiative
places a new measure on the ballot through
petitioning. The referendum refers a set
measure back to the voters for amendments or
repeal. Also, the Legislature can refer a new
measure to the voters.
This is the first year since 1972 that a
referendum has been attempted. The premiere
example. Ballot Measure 1, would amend
minimum requirements for the recall of public
officeholders.
Getting a measure on the ballot is easier in
Oregon than in most states, McMurdo says.
The number of required signatures is the
low'est in the nation, and the state allows two
years for signature gathering.
The number of required valid signatures
varies from year to year and with the type of in
itiative, McMurdo says. To create or amend a
state statute, 6 percent of the total votes cast in
the last governor’s race is needed. Amending
the state constitution takes 8 percent.
But many more signatures must be gathered
to account for signatures that are invalid
because the signers were not registered to vote
or have moved or died. McMurdo tells peti
tioners to expect a 10- to 15-percent margin of
error.
The petitions are first counted by the state
and then sent to respective counties for
verification of validity.
McMurdo says that although petitions are
allowed two years to circulate, most don’t
reach the necessary total until near the
deadline, which was July 6 this year.
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