Pubdate: Sat, 04 Feb 2012
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 2012 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.abqjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/10
Author: Kristen Wyatt, The Associated Press

SIGNATURE ISSUE SETS BACK POT PROPOSAL

DENVER - Colorado marijuana activists have about two weeks to collect 
an additional 2,500 signatures to get a proposal legalizing 
possession of the drug for recreational use on the ballot after the 
secretary of state said Friday that tens of thousands of signatures 
turned in were invalid.

Organizers with the Campaign To Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol said 
they plan to redouble efforts to get their measure before voters in November.

Initiative sponsor Mason Tvert said, "Today's news is unexpected, but 
it is really just a very small bump in the road. We are confident we 
will complete this process successfully and qualify the initiative 
for the ballot."

The marijuana activist group last month turned in to state officials 
about 160,000 signatures in favor of their proposal, about twice as 
many as the 84,000 names required to get the measure on the ballot.

But election officials rejected about 80,000 of those as invalid, 
said Secretary of State Scott Gessler, adding that the activists have 
15 days to get 2,500 more supporters to sign on in support of their plan.

Signatures can be dismissed because they're not registered voters or 
because of improper addresses.

The marijuana campaign gathered signatures at festivals and relied on 
volunteers to collect names in support from friends and neighbors. 
The campaign also used paid gatherers.

The ballot measure would ask whether adults over 21 should be able to 
possess small amounts of pot without a doctor's recommendation.

Marijuana legalization in Washington state appears headed toward 
ballots. A petition drive there has been certified and will appear on 
Washington ballots unless the state Legislature intervenes, which 
appears unlikely.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom