Page 21 - Special District Handbook with Cover-Final

PHASE 5 – VERIFICATION OF SIGNATURES

There are two types of signature verification techniques: 100% or random sampling.

100% Verification of Signatures:

• The elections official must verify every signature submitted if less than 500 signatures are submitted. Elec. Code §§ 9308, 9309

Random Sampling Verification of Signatures:

• If more than 500 signatures are submitted, then the elections official may choose

to use a random sampling signature verification. Elec. Code § 9309

• The random sampling shall include an examination of at least 500, or 3% of the signatures, whichever is greater. Elec. Code § 9309

• If the random sampling technique is used, the elections official must complete the examination of the sample of signatures within 30 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays of the filing of the petition. If, for example, 87% of the sample signatures are found to be valid, then 87% of the entire number of signatures is deemed to be valid. Elec. Code § 9308, 9309

Formula for Random Sampling

V = Number of Valid Signatures A = Value of Each Signature

B = Extra Value of Each Duplicate Signature C = B x The Number of Duplicates

For Example below: Raw Count: 24,034; Sample (3%): 722; Sufficient in Sample: 516; Number of Duplicates: 2

1. CALCULATE

Raw Count (24,034) x Sufficient in Sample (516) = V (17,178)

Sample (722 [3%] or 500, whichever is greater) 2. DIVIDE

Raw Count (24,034) = A (33.2881) Sample (722) 3. MULTIPLY

A (33.2881) x (A – 1) (32.2881) = B (1074.8095) 4. MULTIPLY

B (1074.8095) x (Number of duplicates) (2) = C (2,150) 5. SUBTRACT

V (17,178) – C (2,150) = Corrected Valid (15,028)

Elec. Code § 20540

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