Nevada Marijuana Ballot Initiative in Jeopardy

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A petition drive to legalize marijuana in Nevada has fallen short in Clark County, putting the statewide ballot initiative for the November election in doubt, the Associated Press reported July 8.

The initiative proposed by the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana would allow adults in Nevada to legally possess up to one ounce of marijuana.

In order to qualify for the ballot, organizers of the initiative had to collect 51,337 valid signatures statewide and qualify in 13 of Nevada's 17 counties. The group submitted 66,135 signatures from across the state, with 35,400 coming from Clark County. But the Clark County Election Department verified only 26,730. The number of signatures needed to qualify the initiative in the county was 31,361.

"It would be a longshot if they were to make the total of 51,000 if they are relying on just the other counties to make up the difference," said Steve George, spokesman for the Nevada Secretary of State's Office. "Usually if something doesn't carry in Clark County it will have a hard time making it."

Organizers said they would have enough signatures to bring the initiative before voters. "We knew Clark County and Elko were going to be close, so if we make it in Elko, I'm confident we'll have enough valid signatures in 13 counties," said Billy Rogers, head of the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana and a member of the Washington D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project.

According to the Nevada Secretary of State's Office, five counties have reported having the required valid signatures so far. But Ronda Moore, deputy secretary of state for elections, said nothing is official until the entire review process is completed.

Join Together Online
7/12/2004
http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/...572793,00.html