The “Count My Vote” ballot initiative is less than 1,000 verified signatures from meeting the requirements for the November ballot.
The latest signature numbers from the Utah Elections Office shows CMV has hit the required 10% of the 2016 presidential vote in 23 of 29 Utah Senate districts. To qualify for the ballot, a citizen’s initiative must meet the 10% requirement in 26 Senate Districts.
Count My Vote is under 600 signatures to go in three Senate districts, and has just over 1,400 signatures to go in one other:
- SD5 – 262 signatures short of the 10% threshold
- SD6 – 536 signatures to go
- SD7 – 139 signatures short
- SD27 – 1,432 signatures remaining
CMV has 118,242 verified signatures so far. Another 23,417 signatures have been rejected by state elections officials.
Count My Vote officials have told UtahPolicy.com they turned in more than 175,000 signatures before the deadline. That means there are approximately 35,000 signatures remaining to be verified before May 15 when the Utah Elections Office will certify which initiatives will make the ballot.
UtahPolicy.com reported earlier this week that Keep My Voice, which seeks to eliminate the signature gathering route to the ballot for candidates, has been pushing to get those who have signed the Count My Vote proposal to remove their signatures to keep the initiative from reaching the ballot. Keep My Voice sought a spot on the November ballot as well, but did not turn in any signatures before the deadline.
Already the Medical Cannabis proposal has surpassed the statewide signature requirement. Backers have also passed the 10% threshold in 27 Senate Districts, meaning the initiative is more than likely to be certified for ballot access next month.
The Better Boundaries proposal to establish an independent redistricting commission has met the 10% requirement in 19 districts so far.
The initiative to fully expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act has hit the 10% signature line in 13 districts.
