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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2017
Richardson seeks to ease state
ballot initiative restrictions
Critics worry
changes would
erode process
By PARIS ACHEN
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Oregon Secre-
tary of State Dennis Richard-
son is pursuing a proposal to
ease restrictions on how sig-
natures are gathered to qualify
measures for the ballot.
The change would allow
petitioners to gather signa-
tures while the official ballot
title is still being composed or
remains in dispute.
Allowing signature gath-
ering during the ballot title
determination means oppo-
nents of an initiative can no
longer delay a campaign by
filing legal challenges to the
wording.
“The idea of using the
courts as a way to stall the pro-
cess of collecting signatures
is something that is being
used by both sides against the
other,” Richardson said. “It is
… my job to make sure both
sides have a fair shake with-
Pamplin Media Group
Secretary of State Dennis
Richardson has proposed
easing r estrictions on how
signatures are gathered to
qualify measures for the
ballot.
out having opponents game
the system by using the courts
to delay the process going
forward.”
The Oregon Attorney Gen-
eral’s Office writes short
descriptions for ballot mea-
sures intended to be informa-
tive and unbiased. Both peti-
tioners and opponents can
appeal the description to the
state Supreme Court. Some
groups have used that legal
avenue to sabotage petition-
ers’ ability to gather enough
signatures before the deadline
to land the initiative on the
ballot.
Unger’s
union-backed
organization has led several
high-profile initiative petition
drives.
The changes could lead to a
return to what Unger calls Ore-
gon’s “Wild West days” of the
initiative process when paid
petitioners were forging signa-
tures. “It would be a shame to
go back to the old days,” he said.
Dan Meek and Eric Win-
ters, two lawyers from vastly
different political viewpoints
who have been involved in the
initiative petition process, both
suggested the changes, Rich-
ardson said.
“Both came forward and
said this is a problem and pre-
vents people from having
access to the initiative pro-
cess,” Richardson said. “I
asked people to let us know if
there are impediments to a fair
and open election system.”
Richardson took public
comments on the proposal Fri-
day and has until mid-Septem-
ber to make a final decision on
the proposals.
The Capital Bureau is a
collaboration between EO
Media Group and Pamplin
Media Group.
Another proposed change
would permit members of
the same household to fill out
information for a family mem-
ber such as an address pro-
vided that the voter signed the
petition.
Such changes would
reverse restrictions that the
state Legislature and Richard-
son’s Democratic predeces-
sors in the Secretary of State’s
Office put in place in the past
several years to combat signa-
ture fraud by paid petitioners.
Richardson is the first
Republican to win election as
secretary of state in Oregon in
three decades.
Tightened rules also have
hindered the number measures
appearing on the ballot.
Opponents of the proposed
changes say seeking signa-
tures without a ballot title
allows petitioners to misrep-
resent an initiative and could
erode voters’ trust in the initia-
tive process.
Voters should feel confi-
dent that the petition they sign
matches the description that
eventually appears on the bal-
lot, said Ben Unger, executive
director of Our Oregon.
Hood to Coast runner arrested after alleged assault
Charged after
bizarre incident
during relay
By JACK HEFFERNAN
The Daily Astorian
A Hood to Coast runner was
arrested early Saturday morn-
ing after allegedly stealing a
pickup truck and running over
another racer.
The pickup was servicing
port-a-potties
at an exchange
site
near
Birkenfeld at
about 2 a.m.
when David
Jon Blackmon,
David Jon
36, of Bend,
Blackmon
allegedly
entered it and began driving.
Soon after, he allegedly drove
the truck through a field where
runners were resting.
Three runners were able
to move out of the way, while
The most valuable and
respected source of local news,
advertising and information for
our communities.
Police located Blackmon in the
nearby woods and charged him
with second-degree assault,
reckless endangering, unautho-
rized use of a motor vehicle,
unauthorized entry into a motor
vehicle, possession of a sto-
len vehicle and driving while
revoked.
Blackmon was taken to
Columbia County Jail. Police
are still investigating the
incident.
another — Cynthia Gilles-
pie of Canby — was run over
and dragged a short distance,
authorities said. The truck
then stopped while her leg
was pinned under a tire. She
was later transferred to Ore-
gon Health & Science Univer-
sity Hospital and released after
being treated for minor injuries.
Blackmon allegedly fled the
scene after the truck’s driver
confronted him. Oregon State
W A NTED
Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber
N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A
Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500
Paul Gascoigne/The Daily Astorian
Firefighters battled a suspicious fire early Saturday
morning behind Astoria Warehousing.
Suspicious fire breaks
out at Astoria pier
The Daily Astorian
Astoria Police are inves-
tigating a large, suspicious
pier fire that started early Sat-
urday morning.
Dozens of pallets caught
fire on the pier behind Asto-
ria Warehousing just before
4 a.m. The Astoria and War-
renton fire departments
responded, along with the
Coast Guard from Cape Dis-
appointment due to burning
pallets falling into the river.
Police consider the fire sus-
picious because the pallets
were stored behind a locked
gate.
Astoria Warehousing Gen-
eral Manager Dan Supple said
this was the second time pal-
lets have caught fire near the
warehouse since it opened
for business in 1983. He sus-
pected arson was the cause.
Jack Heffernan/The Daily Astorian
The general manager of
Astoria Warehousing sus-
pects arson.
“There’s no other way
that could have happened,”
he said.
Anyone who may have
information about the cause
of the fire or who may have
been involved can contact
Astoria Police Detective Ken
Hansen at 503-325-4411.
LOWER COLUMBIA BOWL
UES
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F
ING
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F
W
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503-325-3321
C OSMIC B OWL
Friday & Saturdays 9pm to midnight
Individuals & Teams Wanted
Stop by or call today!
10 AM - 10:30 PM MON-TH
10 AM - 12:00 AM FRI - SAT
12 PM - 10:30 PM SUNDAY
The 4-H Youth of Clatsop County wish to express their
appreciation to the following buyers for making the
2017 Clatsop County
Junior Market Auction a BIG SUCCESS!
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3D Landscape
A1 Ready Mix
Ag-Bag Forage Solutions
Aldrich Point Dairy
Astoria Dairy Queen
Autio Company
Balensifer Fisheries
Bay Breeze Boarding & Grooming
Bellingham, Matt
Bergeson, Andrew
Bergeson Family
Biamont, Tony
Big Island Ranch
Big River Excavating
Blind Slough Cattle Co.
Brian Meier Trucking
Brim’s Farm & Garden
Broken Road Trucking
Bruce’s Candy Kitchen
Buffam, Luann
C. Lazzeri Electric
Carruthers Kitchen/Astoria Coffee House
Cary Johnson Custom Homes
Clatsop Community Bank
Clatsop Distributing
Cokley, Ray
Columbia Memorial Hospital
Columbia River Bar Pilots
Cowan Dairy
Cross Cut Ranch
DD Enterprises
Del’s OK Tire Factory
Dennis Horton Trucking
DiBartolomeo, Joe
Dundee’s Bar & Grill
Engbretson Fishing
F & B Logging
F/V Maverick
Farrell, Chris
Falk Fish
Fishhawk Fisheries
Fultano’s Pizza-Astoria
Garcia, Shannon
Goozee, Sally
Guild Mortgage
Hampton Lumber – Warrenton
Hans Lund Concrete
Harmony Ranch
Harrod Family
Helligso Construction
HG Tucker LLC
Hollenbeck Properties
Hummingbird Farm
Hunsinger Fish
Ivy Loo Acres
J&S Appliance & Home Furnishings
Jarvela & Kaminski
Jarvis, Wayne
Jewell School District
Jim Gedenberg Log Trucking
Johansen, Jim
Johnson, Ryan
John D. Carlson CPA
Johnson, Betsy, Senator
Jose Clinic
KC Care
Keller Williams Reality
Kinney & Sons
Klemp Family Dentistry
Knutsen Insurance
Lum’s Auto Center
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Manna Movers LLC
Mays Land & Livestock
Meadows Broadcasting
Morisse Logging
North Coast Truck Parts
Nygaard Logging
Olney Saloon & Olney General Store
Pacifi c Coast Medical Supply
Palmberg Development & Construction
Phillips, Matt & Bree
Reith, Jim
Re/Max River & Sea
Rickenbach Construction
Robertson, Jeff
Rod’s Auto & Marine Electric
Safeway - Astoria
Samuelson, Matt
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Sapp Family
Seppa, Mike & Jeanne
Springer’s Garage
Stahancyk, Kent & Hook
Starley Family Dentistry
T & D Farm
Teevin Bros. Land/Timber
Teevin & Fischer Quarry
Tucker Creek Ranch
Two Old Goats Farm & Feed
W & W Logging
Wadsworth Electric
Walluski Valley Fine Swine
Warila Polled Herefords
Warrenton Fiber
Weyerhaeuser
Wickiup Ridge Construction
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Wilco
Wilcox & Flegel Oil Co.
Woods Logging Supply
Youngs River Trees
Buyer’s Fund:
• Baker’s General Store
• Englund Marine & Industrial Supply Co.
• Phil & Judy Layman
• Pig ‘N’ Pancake – Astoria/Seaside
• Pacifi c Corp/Rocky Mtn/Pacifi c Power
• Snow & Snow
• White’s Heating & Sheet Metal
Add-Ons:
• Thank you to the numerous Add-On
contributors
4-H GRAND CHAMPION
STEER
4-H GRAND CHAMPION
TURKEY
4-H GRAND CHAMPION
SWINE
4-H GRAND CHAMPION
FRYER (Pen of 3)
Seller: Corrie Falleur
Buyer: Woods Logging
Supply
Seller: Cori Biamont
Buyer: KC Care
Seller: Mason DeVos
Buyer: Fultano’s Pizza
Astoria
Seller: Aaron Hollenbeck
Buyer: Manna Movers LLC
4-H GRAND CHAMPION
GOAT
4-H GRAND CHAMPION
GOOSE
4-H GRAND CHAMPION
LAMB
4-H GRAND CHAMPION
ROASTER (Pen of 3)
Seller: Jameson Linder
Buyer: Hampton Lumber
Warrenton
Seller: Colton Scheel
Buyer: Shannon Garcia
Seller: Mollie Matthews
Buyer: Lum’s Auto Center
Seller: Colton Scheel
Buyer: Brim’s Farm &
Garden