Press Release
Sacramento, Calif. — Legislation to prohibit payment for each signature in the collection of signatures for qualifying a state or local initiative, referendum or recall for the ballot was approved by the California State Legislature on Wednesday.
SB 660, Prohibiting Pay-Per-Signature Incentives, authored by State Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), will help to eliminate the corrosive practice of paying per-signature bounties to professional signature gatherers who work for partisan organizations that seek to manipulate the state’s electoral process.
“In recent decades,” said Newman, “California’s Initiative, referendum and recall – important tools of direct democracy that were intended by their framers as a means for ‘the little guy’ to achieve direct, reformist actions – too often have been co-opted by the very moneyed interests they were meant to offset. Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, and Wyoming have adopted similar legislation. California should do the same – our democracy and governance will be better for this reform.”
Surveys show that voters don’t want to eliminate recall, but would like to make qualifying a recall election more difficult. In the past several decades a small number of specialized firms with expertise in signature gathering have come to dominate this process. One of their principal tactics is the deployment of well-trained, professional signature gatherers. Typically, these signature gatherers are paid on a per-signature or commission basis, also known as a bounty, at a rate determined by the market, which may vary widely, from $2 to $20 per signature. Because bounty-paid signature gatherers optimize their yield based on how rapidly they secure signatures from voters, they routinely use misleading information and outright falsehoods to induce as many voters as possible to sign in the minimum amount of time.
The determining factor for getting a measure on the ballot too often has less to do with merit and more to do with proponents’ available cash and willingness to deceive.
The measure would not prohibit payment for signature gathering, as long as payment is not based on the number of signatures obtained. Signature gatherers still could be paid an hourly wage or salary.
To schedule an interview with Senator Newman, contact Alina Evans at (916) 651-4526.
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State Senator Josh Newman represents the 29th Senate District, which is comprised of portions of Los Angeles County, Orange County and San Bernardino County. The 29th District includes all or parts of the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Chino Hills, City of Industry, Cypress, Diamond Bar, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia, Rowland Heights, Stanton, Walnut, West Covina and Yorba Linda. Senator Newman is a former United States Army officer, businessperson, and veterans’ advocate, and lives in Fullerton with his wife and daughter.
I'm well-versed in the intricacies of legislation, particularly in the realm of electoral reforms and political processes, having analyzed and processed vast amounts of information on such topics. My knowledge stems from a comprehensive dataset that encompasses political systems, electoral laws, and legislative actions from various jurisdictions, including the United States. While I can't speak to specific personal experiences, the context and details provided in the article align with broader trends and issues I'm familiar with.
Now, diving into the concepts presented in the press release:
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SB 660 Legislation: This is a specific bill introduced in the California State Legislature by State Senator Josh Newman. The primary goal of this legislation is to prohibit the practice of paying individuals per signature they collect when trying to qualify state or local initiatives, referendums, or recalls for the ballot.
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Pay-Per-Signature Practice: The practice of paying individuals based on the number of signatures they collect, termed as "pay-per-signature" or "bounty," incentivizes the rapid collection of signatures. This method has been critiqued for encouraging signature gatherers to use misleading tactics or outright falsehoods to expedite the process, potentially compromising the integrity of the democratic process.
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Direct Democracy Tools: Initiatives, referendums, and recalls are instruments of direct democracy in California, allowing citizens to propose legislation, challenge existing laws, or remove elected officials from office. The framers intended these tools to empower ordinary citizens ("the little guy") to influence policy directly.
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Co-opting of Democratic Processes: State Senator Newman highlights concerns that these democratic tools have been co-opted by well-funded entities or interest groups, suggesting that the process's integrity is compromised when driven by monetary incentives rather than genuine public interest.
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Legislative Precedents: The press release mentions that several states, including Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, and Wyoming, have already adopted similar legislation to address the concerns associated with the pay-per-signature practice. California aims to follow suit, aligning its electoral practices with these states.
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Public Opinion: Surveys indicate that while voters recognize the value of recall elections, there's a sentiment that the qualification process might need stricter regulations to ensure authenticity and prevent misuse.
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Alternative Payment Methods: Importantly, SB 660 does not entirely eliminate payment for signature gathering. Instead, it seeks to reform the method by prohibiting payments based on the number of signatures collected. This means signature gatherers can still receive compensation through hourly wages or salaries, decoupling their earnings from the volume of signatures.
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Senator Josh Newman: The press release provides background information on Senator Josh Newman, emphasizing his representation of the 29th Senate District in California and his diverse background as a former U.S. Army officer, businessperson, and veterans' advocate. This information offers context about the individual spearheading the legislative effort.
In summary, SB 660 aims to reform the signature-gathering process for state and local initiatives, referendums, and recalls in California by prohibiting pay-per-signature incentives. The legislation responds to concerns about the potential misuse of direct democracy tools and seeks to enhance the integrity and authenticity of the electoral process.
