Ballot Measures bringing petitions signature collection to a close, some with only a thousand or so over the number required.

Pat Powers

The remaining ballot measures that are out there circulating are bringing their efforts to a close, and according to the Associated Press, the most lethal one thinks that if they collect enough signatures, it will be “by the skin of their teeth:”

Mentele, who estimated backers had about 15,000 signatures in hand for the medical marijuana proposal, said the group would also send out circulators to people who are housebound.

“Death with Dignity” measure sponsor Angela Albonico said she plans to collect signatures on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian reservations this week as volunteers contact people who have expressed interest in signing on. She said if supporters “do make the ballot, it’ll be by the skin of our teeth.”

House Speaker Mark Mickelson, who is pursuing the ballot question campaign finance measure and a proposal to raise tobacco taxes to improve tech school affordability, said he’s exceeded 15,000 signatures for both proposals, totals that he anticipated would continue to climb.

Read it here.  (Update – new link, the previous one trimmed the article)

The Secretary of State website notes in cases of initiated measures, “the petition must have signatures of registered voters equal to five percent (13,871) of the total vote for governor in the last gubernatorial election.”

And some of these measures are claiming they’re within only a thousand or so of these numbers?  I’d be getting nervous at this point.  Signature collection is difficult, and if they’re only sitting with 14 or 15 thousand signatures in hand, I would not be confident of success.

Whether they’ll pass the Secretary of State’s signature review depends on the petition signature collection accuracy rate, which at least one campaign has noted had suffered a setback as they discovered at least some signature forgeries, which may have set them back, or at least given their opponents something to consider in evaluating if it is worth their while to take a run at the petitions in a court of law.

Stay tuned.

15 thoughts on “Ballot Measures bringing petitions signature collection to a close, some with only a thousand or so over the number required.”

  1. Oh I like the idea of taking the kill grandma one to people who are housebound due to illness or infirmity.

  2. Come to think of it, what if we got those kill grandma petitions and mailed out flyers to everybody who signed them offering a euthanasia service? There could be packages, you know: lethal drugs, music, incense, and last rites all for one low price. Throw in coupons for undertakers, BOGOs on cemetery plots. And of course, for the low budget crowd, an offer of a single gunshot to the head, And the shell casing made into a piece of jewelry for your next-of-kin.

    Mr Powers could probably put together a stunning ad campaign for this.

    Ok so maybe I’ve consumed a little too much candy waiting for the kids to show up.

    1. My darned wife bought mainly caramel this year and last time I had one of those, I was in the dental chair spending a lot of money.

  3. Does anyone know even one legislator who is proud or happy with Speaker Mickelson over his end round around the very legislature where he is the Speaker of the house…yeah me neither.

  5. Hey Mr Powers think of the fun you and your real estate colleagues could have if you took those petitions and used them as leads for listings. You could go up to their front doors and ask them if they plan to kill themselves soon and would they consider letting you list the house? Then you could suggest they die somewhere else to increase the sales value.

    2. Actually, if a homicide or suicide occurs in a home, you do have to disclose for a period of time. Might make Realtors a natural partner in opposing the ‘kill grandma’ measure.

      1. I know. Maybe Realtors need to start talking about how much a house loses value if a suicide has occurred in it.

  6. Just received an urgent e-mail from the SD GOP advising me “Don’t Sign on the Line”. Guess I should ignore the Jim Fiksdahl/Media One “Join the Conversation” campaign that the Chiesman Center is promoting. 🙂

  7. Don’t be afraid, Beal and Schoenbeck. Nobody would ever want you two not to suffer. LOL 😂

    1. I don’t know about Lee but I am perfectly aware of multiple DIY methods of suicide. I will not need a doctor or an event planner to help me.

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