Section 9115 Of Article 1. Initiative From California Elections Code >> Division 9. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 1.
9115
. (a) Within 30 days from the date of filing of the petition,
excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, if, from the examination
of petitions pursuant to Section 9114 shows that more than 500
signatures have been signed on the petition, the elections official
may use a random sampling technique for verification of signatures.
The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn so that
every signature filed with the elections official shall be given an
equal opportunity to be included in the sample. The random sampling
shall include an examination of at least 500, or 3 percent of the
signatures, whichever is greater.
(b) If the statistical sampling shows that the number of valid
signatures is within 95 to 110 percent of the number of signatures of
qualified voters needed to declare the petition sufficient, the
elections official shall, within 60 days from the date of the filing
of the petition, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, examine
and verify the signatures filed. If the elections official
determines, prior to completing the examination of each signature
filed, that the petition is signed by the requisite number of
qualified voters to declare the petition sufficient, the elections
official may terminate the verification of the remaining unverified
signatures.
(c) In determining from the records of registration, what number
of valid signatures are signed on the petition, the elections
official may check the signatures against facsimiles of voters'
signatures, provided that the method of preparing and displaying the
facsimiles complies with law.
(d) The elections official shall attach to the petition a
certificate showing the result of this examination and shall notify
the proponents of either the sufficiency or insufficiency of the
petition.
(e) If the petition is found insufficient, no action shall be
taken on the petition. However, the failure to secure sufficient
signatures shall not preclude the filing later of an entirely new
petition to the same effect.
(f) If the petition is found to be sufficient, the elections
official shall certify the results of the examination to the board of
supervisors at the next regular meeting of the board.