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California Electronic Signature Gathering Initiative (2018)

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California Electronic Signature Gathering Initiative
Flag of California.png
Election date
November 6, 2018
Topic
Direct democracy measures
Status
Not on the ballot
Type
State statute
Origin
Citizens



The California Electronic Signature Gathering Initiative (#16-0002) was not on the November 6, 2018, ballot in California as an initiated state statute.

The measure would have authorized electronic signatures for state and local initiatives, veto referendums, and recall petitions. The California Secretary of State would have been required to develop a system providing voters with the ability to view, download, and sign petitions online. An ongoing tally of each measure's signature count would have been viewable.[1]

Text of measure

Ballot title

The official ballot title was as follows:[2]

Initiative, Referendum, and Recall Petitions. Electronic Signature Gathering. Initiative Statute.[3]

Ballot summary

The official ballot summary was as follows:[2]

Authorizes electronic signature gathering for state and local initiative, referendum, and recall petitions. Requires Secretary of State to develop a system that allows voters to view petitions on Secretary of State’s website and to sign them electronically directly on the website, or to download, print, and sign the printed petitions. Requires Secretary of State or local elections official to verify these signatures. Requires Secretary of State to invite arguments for and against petitions, and to post submitted arguments on website. Requires Secretary of State’s website to include ongoing tally of each measure’s signatures received electronically or on downloaded petitions.[3]

Fiscal impact statement

Note: The fiscal impact statement for a California ballot initiative authorized for circulation is jointly prepared by the state's legislative analyst and its director of finance.

The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[2]

One-time state and local government costs in the millions of dollars or more to develop an online system for electronic petition signature gathering. Potential net costs or savings due to changed state and local government processes for verifying petition signatures.[3]

Full text

The full text of the measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: California signature requirements
  • Michael Freeman Liddell submitted a letter requesting a title and summary on February 1, 2016.
  • A title and summary were issued by the California Attorney General's office on April 6, 2016.
  • Supporters were required to collect 365,880 valid signatures by October 3, 2016, for qualification purposes.
  • Proponents submitted 117,470 signatures, 248,410 less than the minimum required, by the October 3 deadline.[4]
  • The initiative failed to make the ballot on October 18, 2016.

State profile

Demographic data for California
 CaliforniaU.S.
Total population:38,993,940316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):155,7793,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:61.8%73.6%
Black/African American:5.9%12.6%
Asian:13.7%5.1%
Native American:0.7%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.4%0.2%
Two or more:4.5%3%
Hispanic/Latino:38.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:81.8%86.7%
College graduation rate:31.4%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$61,818$53,889
Persons below poverty level:18.2%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in California.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in California

California voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.


More California coverage on Ballotpedia

See also

Footnotes