SOLANO COUNTY, Calif. — The backers of California Forever are one step closer to getting their idea on the Solano County November ballot after turning in over 20,000 signatures. The county has certified the raw count of signatures, but what comes next?
According to the Solano County Registrar of Voters, the county has until June 11 to review signatures at random. At least 3% of the signatures, which comes out to about 614 signatures, randomly reviewed must be registered voters within Solano County for the initiative to appear on the ballot.
Once the 3% of signatures are reviewed, the Registrar of Voters Office will do a full review of all the collected signatures from June 11 to September 5 until they get to the required amount needed to put on the ballot. This process is part of California Election Code section 9115, which has been the standard since 1994 in regard to county ballot initiatives.
California Forever had to turn in a minimum of 13,062 signatures and submitted 20,473 signatures Tuesday.
If there are enough approved signatures for the initiative to get onto the ballot, Solano County voters will be able to vote "yes" or "no" on the "East Solano Homes, Jobs and Clean Energy Initiative."
A "yes" vote would mean the voter is approving of rezoning 25,200 acres of Solano County agricultural land for a new community. A "no" vote would stick with the status quo and keep the Solano County Orderly Growth Initiative in tact without change.
Both those in support of and against the initiative are starting political campaigns. California Forever has already spent $2 million on campaign funds, according to public campaign fund records.
From commercials to yard signs, Solano County residents will hear more about the possible ballot measure as election season comes by.
