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Cure period for initiative signature petitions
A cure period is a period of time for initiative proponents to collect additional signatures if they fall short of the required number when they submit signatures by an initial deadline.
Twenty-six (26) states have initiative and/or veto referendum processes at the statewide level. In these states, residents may collect a certain number of valid signatures to put a proposed state law or constitutional amendment on the ballot for voter approval or rejection.
Two states, Arkansas and Ohio, provide for a cure period to allow petitioners to collect additional signatures past the initial deadline if the signatures submitted fall short of the amount required.
Requirements by state
Two states, Arkansas and Ohio, provide for cure periods allowing petitioners to collect additional signatures past the initial deadline if the signatures submitted fall short of the amount required.
The following map provides information on cure periods:
States with cure periods
The following table outlines the cure periods:
| Signature cure period for ballot initiatives by state | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Cure period | Law | |
| Arkansas | Petitioners have 30 days to collect supplementary signatures if enough submitted signatures are verified to put the petition at or above 75 percent of the required signatures | Issue 2 (2014) and SB 821 | |
| Ohio | Petitioners have 10 days to collect supplementary signatures if the submitted signatures were insufficient | Ohio Constitution, Article II, Section 1g | |
Legislation
The following is a list of bills passed, beginning in 2016, related to signature cure periods for ballot initiatives.
2021
- Colorado Senate Bill 250: The legislation enacted several changes to election policies in Colorado, including requiring circulators of recall petitions to have identification badges that state either "Volunteer Circulator" or "Paid Circulator", depending on whether the signature gatherer is paid or not; providing election officials 28 days, rather than 15 business days, to verify signatures for recall petitions; and requiring that a recall election for local and school officials be held at the same time as a general election if there is one within 120 days. The legislation also repealed the signature cure period for ballot initiatives.[1]
2019
- House Joint Resolution 1008 (Issue 3): Voters rejected the constitutional amendment on November 3, 2020. The constitutional amendment would have changed the following:[2]
- increased the signature distribution requirement for initiatives from requiring a certain number of signatures from 15 counties to a certain number of signatures from 45 counties;
- changed the signature submission deadline from four months before the general election to January 15 of the election year;
- eliminated the cure period for initiative signature submissions;
- required legal challenges to ballot measure to be filed no later than April 15 of the election year; and
- required a three-fifths vote, instead of a simple majority, of the Legislature to refer a proposed constitutional amendment to voters.
Arguments
Support
- Mia Lewis, representing Common Cause Ohio, spoke in opposition to Ohio Issue 1, which would have eliminated the cure period in Ohio, increase the voter approval threshold for new constitutional amendments to 60%, and require citizen-initiated constitutional amendment campaigns to collect signatures from each of the state's 88 counties. She said, "These changes could permanently lock out grassroots groups since ONLY special interests would have the resources to collect in all 88 counties without the need for a cure period."[3]
Oppose
- State Sen. Rob McColley (R-1) and Rep. Brian Stewart (R-12) wrote the official argument in support of Ohio Issue 1, saying, "By restricting do-overs on signature submissions … special interests will have one chance to play by the rules when gathering signatures to place proposed amendments on the ballot."[4]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Colorado State Legislature, "Senate Bill 250," accessed June 20, 2023
- ↑ Arkansas State Legislature, "House Joint Resolution 1008," accessed June 23, 2023
- ↑ Ohio State Legislature, "Senate Joint Resolution 2 Committee Activity," accessed October 5, 2023
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Vote Yes on Issue 1," accessed October 2, 2023
