February 14, 1997
Dear Attorney General Lungren:
Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9005, we have reviewed the proposed initiative cited as the "Circulation of Petitions Through Use of Computers" (File No. SA 97 RF 0001).
This measure would require that the Attorney General make initiative and referendum petitions available for voter signatures over the "Internet" computer system. In addition to the fees already established for initiative and referendum petitions, this measure would allow the Attorney General to establish reasonable fees sufficient to defray the costs of posting the petition.
Qualified voters who wish to "sign" the petition posted on the Internet, may request county elections officials to send the voter a postcard that may be used for that purpose. The voter would sign the postcard and return it to county elections officials. The county would verify the qualifications of the voter, and the signature postcard would be counted as a valid signature for purposes of qualifying a particular initiative or referendum for the ballot.
Fiscal Effect. This measure would have no state costs because the measure provides for all reasonable costs to be recovered through fees. However, the measure would have unknown, but probably minor, county administrative costs related to the petition signature cards.