Referendum Update
On Friday, August 25, 2006, the Secretary of State’s office informed the committee which circulated the petitions challenging the 2006 workers’ compensation amendments that they did not have sufficient signatures.
Two signature requirements must be met. First, the petitions must have signatures from a total number equal to six percent of the voters who voted in the last election for Governor (which is 193,740). Second, the petitions must be signed in at least forty-four counties by three percent of the voters who voted in the last election for Governor.
The petition has fallen short of both signature requirements. The petition needs around 70,000 more total signatures to meet the first requirement. The petition only qualified in 20 of the 44 counties required for the second requirement.
The petitioners have the opportunity to file additional petitions to fulfill these requirements. They filed additional petitions and it remains to be seen whether they met the signature requirements.
If the petitioners succeed, the approved ballot language would provide that a “yes” vote would adopt the amendments and a “no” vote would reject them.