Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation

Electoral Votes. Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates. Initiative Advisory Question.

SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced the proponent of a new initiative was cleared to begin collecting petition signatures this past Friday, March 3, 2017.

The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to the Secretary of State, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Secretary of State then provides calendar deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows: 

ELECTORAL VOTES. PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. INITIATIVE ADVISORY QUESTION. Asks voters whether California’s elected officials should use their authority to cause the President and Vice President of the United States to be elected according to the outcome of the national popular vote. Suggests actions such as proposal and ratification of an amendment to the federal Constitution to eliminate or modify the Electoral College process; approval and adoption of interstate compacts regarding the allocation of state electors; proposal and adoption of other related legislation; and pursuit of related litigation. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: No direct fiscal effect on state and local governments. (16-0012.) 

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1796 and the Attorney General’s tracking number is 16-0012. 

The proponent of the measure, Rodrigo J. Howard, must collect the signatures of 365,880 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for Governor in the November 2014 general election) in order to qualify it for the ballot. The proponent has 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials no later than August 30, 2017. The proponent can be reached at (650) 208-3779 or rod.howard@capkeyadvisors.com. 

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