Sign used by signature gatherer
How’s the effort to legalize marijuana in Montana going?
I was wondering that recently and asked those gathering signatures to give me a rough estimate of where they’re at.
Remember, we have CI-115 to fully legalize, and that takes 48,349 signatures.
We also have I-178 to decriminalize and tax, and that takes 24,175 signatures.
So how close are we?
This is what I found out:
So that’s 3,835 signatures just in the past few days in those areas.
I wish I had more accurate numbers but not everyone that’s gathering is reporting, and not all signatures have been turned in.
How many have been turned in is a bit of a mystery. Many elections offices are swamped with other petitions and voter registration forms.
They can’t get their information into the computers and the Secretary of State’s Office in Helena can’t get those tabulated into the main database.
According to a March 16 article that made the state rounds, I-178 has between 8,000 and 10,000 signatures.
I think the reporter might have screwed up the titles of the petitions. Either way, with the new tallies we could have between 11,835 signatures and 13,835.
So we’re getting there.
I was wondering that recently and asked those gathering signatures to give me a rough estimate of where they’re at.
Remember, we have CI-115 to fully legalize, and that takes 48,349 signatures.
We also have I-178 to decriminalize and tax, and that takes 24,175 signatures.
So how close are we?
This is what I found out:
- Butte: 250 signatures on each petition
- Bozeman: 550 signatures on 115 and 50 on the other
- Yellowstone County: 1,200 signatures
- Sidney/Dawson County: 305 signatures
- Lolo: 400 signatures
- Kalispell: 100 signatures & 30 voter registrations
- Polson: 280 signatures & 40 voter registrations
- Wibaux County: 200 signatures
- Chouteau County: 500 signatures
- Sanders County: 25 signatures
- Park County: 25 signatures
So that’s 3,835 signatures just in the past few days in those areas.
I wish I had more accurate numbers but not everyone that’s gathering is reporting, and not all signatures have been turned in.
How many have been turned in is a bit of a mystery. Many elections offices are swamped with other petitions and voter registration forms.
They can’t get their information into the computers and the Secretary of State’s Office in Helena can’t get those tabulated into the main database.
According to a March 16 article that made the state rounds, I-178 has between 8,000 and 10,000 signatures.
I think the reporter might have screwed up the titles of the petitions. Either way, with the new tallies we could have between 11,835 signatures and 13,835.
So we’re getting there.
Requirements for Marijuana Legalization in Montana
There's a bit of confusion as to what we actually have to do here in Montana to get marijuana decriminalized and/or legalized.
This is what I've been going by, the below image that says 10% in all counties adds up to 67,426 people.
This list is not accurate
I’ve been told this is not correct. Instead, we need to go by this:
This list is accurate for Montana marijuana signature gatherers
Every district needs the same number of signatures in 2016. It's 484 signatures in any 40 districts for CI-115 and 242 signatures in any 34 districts for I-178.
Then why, at the very top of my petition, does it say "if 10% of the voters in each of 40 legislative districts sign this petition..."?
- First, its voters in the most recent governor's election, not registered voters.
- Second, it is 10%.
Every 10 years they redraw the districts so that they are all equal again to accommodate for moving populations.
The districts were redrawn after the last governor election which means every district has the exact same number of voters in that election.
There are two requirements and we must meet both.
- CI-115 needs 48,349 total signatures plus 40 of the total 100 districts must have 484 signatures.
- I-178 needs 24,175 signatures plus 34 of the total 100 districts need 242 signatures.
On a related note...
I’d like to point out that Dr. Mark Ibsen will have a Board of Medicine Hearing on Tuesday, March 22 at 1 PM at 4th floor Conference Room #430 301 South Park Ave in Helena.
This is the day the Montana Medical Board wants to Suspend Dr. Ibsen's Medical License.
If you are unable to be here in person, please phone in. Please contact LaVelle Potter at 406-841-2362.
Legalizing Marijuana in Montana
We’re doing well.
People have been mobilized by the recent Montana Supreme Court ruling. We’re gathering signatures.
Keep at it – we can do this!
People have been mobilized by the recent Montana Supreme Court ruling. We’re gathering signatures.
Keep at it – we can do this!
Legalizing Marijuana in Montana in Sanders County
Collecting marijuana legalization signatures at a Billings RV show
