By Bob Katzen
The proposed possible November ballot question that would repeal adult-use of recreational marijuana is facing another challenge to the legitimacy of its nomination signatures. Last week, Kevin Gilnack filed an objection with Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office disputing the validity of some of the signatures.
Gilnack’s charges include that numerous signatures are not signed substantially as the same name under which the signer is registered to vote; some signatures are those of persons who are not registered voters within the city or town stated; some signatures are not genuine; numerous signatures were obtained through fraudulent means; and some signatures are those of voters who have subsequently requested that their names be removed from the petition.
He also notes that some of the signatures on the nomination papers should not be allowed because the papers contained extraneous marks; are not exact copies of the petition form as provided by the Secretary of State because they differ from the original petitions in size, color, text or format, or otherwise fail to conform to the requirements under state law.
Wendy Wakeman, chair of the committee backing the ballot proposal, called the objections “one last desperate attempt” to keep the question off the ballot.
The State Ballot Law Commission plans to hold hearings on Gilnack’s objections beginning on July 15.