California · Elections Code

ELEC §9608: (a) A proponent of an initiative measure shall execute and submit, along with the request for a title and summary for the proposed measure, a signed statement that reads as follows: I, ___, acknowledg

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

Initiative proponents must submit a signed statement acknowledging that misusing petition signatures is illegal. The certification must be kept on file for at least eight months after the election or petition deadline.

Read the full statutory text

(a) A proponent of an initiative measure shall execute and submit, along with the request for a title and summary for the proposed measure, a signed statement that reads as follows: I, ___, acknowledge that it is a misdemeanor under state law (Section 18650 of the Elections Code) to knowingly or willfully allow the signatures on an initiative petition to be used for any purpose other than qualification of the proposed measure for the ballot. I certify that I will not knowingly or willfully allow the signatures for this initiative to be used for any purpose other than qualification of the measure for the ballot. (Signature of Proponent) Dated this ________ day of __________, 20___ (b) The certification required by subdivision (a) shall be kept on file by the agency authorized to prepare the title and summary for the proposed initiative measure for not less than eight months after the certification of the results of the election for which the measure qualified, or if the measure, for any reason, is not submitted to the voters, eight months after the deadline for submission of the petition to the elections official. (c) Failure to comply with this section shall not invalidate any signatures on a state or local initiative petition.

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