Elections boss justifies verification process
(CNS): Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell has said it is Cabinet that has requested a full independent verified list based on the petition submitted to the Elections Office last week requesting a referendum on the cruise berthing project. In the absence of any law directing a people’s vote, the office is virtually redoing the entire petition to meet this demand. While activists remained concerned that there is no lawful justification for this ‘do-over’, Howell said that with no law to provide for a sampling process, individual verification of all 5,289 signatures is the only option.
After the Elections Office received the petition last Thursday, it published a form asking those who have already signed the petition to also sign the form, repeating the details they have already given. It took the grassroots activist, all volunteers working on a shoestring budget, eight months to collect around 5,500 voter signatures, but the Elections Office believes it can verify all of the names in less than eight weeks.
Answering a query from CNS about the process, Howell told us that the office was working with several factors which require the in-person verification. Alongside the lack of any referendum legislation prescribing the process, the register of electors has been subject to varying documentation requirements over the years, so people registered before 1996 do not have signatures on file.
He also pointed to another petition but it was not clear why that should impact the petition on the cruise project.
“We’ve received concerns that persons may have signed other petitions,” he said pointing to one opposing same-sex marriage that has circulated recently. “They wanted to ensure that signatures are being counted for the intended petition. As such, the form produced is a verification. It seeks confirmation that it is a Cruise Port Referendum petition signature that is being verified. As such, the form is not an unqualified yes or no.”
He explained that the verification form the office is using is designed to be used in two versions.
“The version that will be used for door-to-door will have pre-populated information like the first name, middle name, last name, and address, etc., leaving the petitioner to simply sign the form in the presence of a verifier,” Howell told CNS. “The version being used at the Elections Office is not pre-populated with info and the person verifying the petition will complete a few data fields and sign the form in the presence of one of our staff members.”
He said the door-to-door staff team will be mobilised soon and the office plans to complete this process as quickly as possible, with an expected completion time of six to eight weeks. “We would like to reiterate that this is necessary and will be done expeditiously,” he added.
The main concern of the Cruise Port Referendum campaigners and those who have signed the petition and support the concept of a people’s referendum is that, despite the efforts of volunteers to collect signatures from 25% of Cayman’s electorate — a significant number of voters and a clear indication of public opinion — the referendum could still be derailed because a few dozen names could not be verified.
If the Elections Office failed to verify signatures for what could be perfectly ordinary reasons, such as people being away for the summer or because they have moved from the address on file, those names will not count.
Category: Politics
You can’t have it both ways. If a handful of ‘vacationing Caymanians’ can throw the total count off, then that same handful would be picked up in the sub-sampling process and cause it to fail if sub-sampling is as statistically rigorous (and their number as significant) as the ‘don’t check the petition’ people make it all out to be.
If anything the pr-Referendum voices should be supporting eh elections office because once they’re done there can be no question the petition is over the threshold for a referendum. – Unless CPR is being abducted by political activists.
I bets when government gets through this list and work permit holder are identified bet they get pushed out.
If work permit holders were allowed to sign the petition there would be at least quadruple the number of signatures.
When they come to your door to verify then make sure any person in your household that did not sign but now wants to sign complete form and add to the list of signatures then contact CPR to confirm the additional signatures. Also if they are not registered to vote then Elections office can get a 2 for one and provide them with the form to register and collect their information. If you’re going to the office to complete your form then encourage those who now want to sign to join you to complete form and contact a CPR member to inform them you registered.
I hope this door to door nonsense would be stopped before they even start
I do not accept all of the explanations given by the Elections Office. When I went out of my way to make sure to sign the petition I was in no doubt it was for requesting a referendum for the Cruise Port. The verification process has been poorly managed thus far.The Government and the Elections Office knew about the Petition and did very little to prepare for it.
You knew. But can you guarantee that everyone else did? And, if so, how?
Feel disappointed commenting too fast.
They will stop at nothing to get this thrown out, such a ludicrous system. Any normal person can see that there are enough people there under the system to justify a referendum. Indeed, if the Premier and other vitriolic pro porters are so convinced that the majority of Caymanians are for the port, then a free and fair referendum without the Civil Service being directed to vote one way or another, will be absolutely no problem for them. They will smash it, and have the backing of the population to carry on. What greater accolade could a politician ask for? You would only deny a referendum if you were sure to lose, right? I for one will be watching how this goes and will consider (with others) legal action if this process is abused further than it has been already.
You think it my go something like this?
Knock on door.
Occupant: Hello?
Elections Official: Good morning Sir/Madam, I am sorry to trouble you. I am here from the elections office and want to confirm whether you signed the petition.
Occupant: Yes I did.
Elections Official: Can you please sign this form which also includes updated details of your address.
Occupant: No.
Elections Official: Why not?
Occupant: Because I signed the petition and have confirmed I did to you. You know I signed the petition, and you know where I live which is why you are here in the first place. I have fulfilled my legal and constitutional obligations, and you have no right to ask anything else of me. In fact I do not think you only going to people who signed, and not to those that did not with these questions, is wholly improper, and probably unlawful.
Elections Official: But then your signing of the petition will not count.
Occupant: Why not?
Elections Official: Because that is how we are doing it.
Occupant: Who says?
Elections Official: Wesley Howell.
Occupant: Why?
Elections Official: Because the Premier discussed it with him and that is what they agreed.
Occupant: Doesn’t Wesley Howell report to the Governor?
Elections Official: That’s only what the Constitution says.
They have already been given enough Roper to hang themselves. Stop this madness now Governor.
Tin foil hat is on waaay to tight. Look. We signed and CPR verified our IDs. Now, the Elections Office must do the same. Imagine if they did not, and problems were found AFTER the referendum was initiated.
This is the right way to go.
You are confusing petition signers with referendum results. It would not matter if problems were found after the referendum, because it would not change the outcome. Remember that what is driving this is the fear of losing by the politicians. They think they know best and certainly don’t want common folk telling them what to do.
Oh stop it with your tin foil hat shit. Either you agree with the poster or you don’t.
When you play the puerile tin foil hat card, you just come across as a closed-minded fool.
Give the man his opinion, and then give yours. Leave it at that.
A persistant undercurrent of corruption is not an imaginary construct when we all witness the current regime: refusing to enact the SIPL Law under false premise, advancing large capex infrastructure projects behind curtains, redact staff settlement details, decline FOI requests, abet and indemnify preferred developers, and otherwise actively obstruct and impede transparency across most inter-governmental departments – many of which still don’t keep acceptable financial records in 2019. If you think this is tin foil hat conspiracy stuff, you really need to settle-in, and open your eyes to reality.
Mr Howell said that it was the Election Boss requested for the verification process , but can Mr Howell say when he first talked to Alden about the petition , and what time/date that he made the decision to do the verification .
If you remember how Alden meet with Mr Howell before he made it known that there are a reason for the verification you will see the full picture of I smell the rat .
This is not a response to Ron Eubanks at 10:18 pm, I put this comment here because I want to remind all CI I’ll servants who might be a little anxious because they signed the petition that the Premier nor anyone else can do anything to you. It is your democratic right to sign any petition you feel like signing.they cannot fire anyone for that and I dare say they cannot h
If you think the premier cannot do anything to you, you may not understand how Cayman works at present.
I signed in the knowledge I might suffer, because I refuse to cower. Some things are more sacred than my personal comfort.
The Governor will never do anything about any of this because he wants to keep his cushy position and he knows what happened to his predecessor. As for the election official, will let you all take a wild guess what is going on there, but its not good.
Our Unity government said they are going to build this port no matter what and they have there buddies CHEC standing by ready to get started.
@11:46
Full clarity WAS sought on MULTIPLE occasions by CPR from the Elections Office and members of government but it was not forthcoming.
Considering the erected hurdles we are witnessing now, do you honestly believe the authorities would have detailed the best way forward in respect to a successfully executed petition process?
The path to this constitutionally-powered People’s Initiated Referendum has been littered with obstacles from the very start.
This is your government ol’ buddy. Wave ’em hello.
Where “we” really failed was during the drafting of the Constitution. When the applicable section was laid out, we should have detailed the operations and steps for a PIR. Because that was done, should CIG just make it up? Well, that’s what they’re having to do, and if I were responsible for the integrity of the Elections regarding the PIR, I would want every i dotted and every t crossed. That is the only way it can work. I think an oversight committee should be present to keep things honest on both sides, but that also was omitted from the Constitution.
Internationally guidelines and best practices already exist and are available upon the governor extending a formal invitation for the FCO to deploy an Election Observer Mission to return to Cayman to monitor this petition verification process and referendum.
Respectfully, please see that this is immediately done, Governor Roper.
Otherwise let’s get this to the Grand Court for a judicial review because if we are fighting this way from the very beginning, then everything else is going to be a fight…including the wording of the referendum question and constant complaints of Cabinet overreach and interference.
All Voter Registration Cards have the voter’s signature, therefore the Elections Office should have them on file and can verify against the petition.
I am a registered voter and never got a card.
Well go get it. Takes 15 minutes.
CPR started complaining about the process before they even handed in the petition.
What CPR needs to ask itself, is why after all this effort and campaigning and money spent did they not think to get full clarity on the process a year ago?
Seems like politricks to me.
Nothing to get clarity on with no governing law and the government more desperate than an addict to get this through. They made no plan for a full petition of signatures just like the UK made no plan for Brexit.
I don’t understand why the CPR folks are so afraid of verifying the signatures. If they are so confident that they have them and that they have verified themselves there should be no worry.
My thoughts are though that there is a chance that they don’t or didn’t have the numbers and some signatures may not be real. If that’s the case then yes I understand why they would want to discredit the elections office at every turn.
Agree. I’m in favor of the PIR. These signatures must be verified in order to remove any doubt prior to initiating the Referendum.
Think about this: What if the Referendum were initiated, and THEN someone went back and found just one signature that was not valid? What would that do to the process?
I don’t understand why it takes so long, though. It seems like everything should begin with a phone call from the Elections Office to either establish a time for the person to come to the office, or a time for the Office to come to the person’s home.
Government has copies of every single signature on file – they can access via the voting register or the DMV (Driver’s license) databases and can verify using previously collected digital material. It’d take all of about a week! This is a complete waste of time, money and energy and just a form of political espionage!
A number of older voters, who are still eligible to sign the petition, have neither a drivers licence (DMV) nor a voters ID card with signature on file. So basically you are wrong. Completely wrong.
They are afraid because they know full well that some people were bullied and intimidated into signing the petition. The verification process allows people to withdraw as well as to confirm their signatures and that my friend is why CPR are worried.
You cannot withdraw. The legal obligation is to present a petition that has been signed. That has been done. You cannot change your mind after the petition has been presented with your signature on it.
Doesn’t mean government won’t take your word for it if you say ‘na I neva sign dat’. They’ll go ‘oh you didn’t? Okay thanks for your time’. Cross off list.
The words “voter fraud” spring to mind.
It is really quite simple. “Under penalty of perjury, did you or did you not sign the petition?”
If yes, it proceeds.
If no, a report to the police for an attempted fraud on the elections office. They can investigate who is telling the truth.
There won’t be any real consequences because no one will investigate.
Because every aspect of our governance is corrupt?
Where did you ever see that the CPR folks are so afraid of verifying the signatures??? You need to pay attention to what is going on and exactly what is being said. Stop using propaganda and partial/incorrect information to form your opinion.
Stop making sh!it up in your own head and then spouting it out as further propaganda!
Hello kettle. Long time no see.
This is unlawful, plain and simple. This is more of Alden’s arrogance thinking he’ll fix those referendum nutters. Time for the thousands of us who couldn’t care less how much the tender companies had at stake or contributed in funding to see if they will go to court. The ordinary people who just don’t want to see George Town permanently destroyed can’t do it.
Who says George Town will be permanently destroyed? That’s a big claim to make without any supporting justification.
It already is. Passengers all about like the walking dead. Don’t need any more, need less.
its a classic cayman intimidation tactic…..
It gives them something to do in between elections every 4 years.
So the reason that the Elections Office made up a new port petition for everyone to sign all over again is because over 5,300+ registered voters thought that when they signed the port petition, they thought that they were actually signing the petition against homosexual marriage?!?!?
No man, Wes!
Come better than that, man!
I’m actually insulted!
No need to be insulted. MLA Kenneth Bryan said on the radio that signing the petition could give people the chance to vote on SSM and gambling. Some people may very well have signed the petition believing that, even though it is incorrect. So the elections office is perfectly justified to verify that people signed the petition for the right cause.
The petition was both clearly worded and presented as a petition solely against the port. To suggest otherwise is a slap in the face to all 5,300+ who signed.
KB said that a couple of weeks ago AFTER signatures already collected. He suggested that when the referendum was held, it could be worded to also address other issues: https://caymannewsservice.com/2019/05/bryan-add-port-vote/
Next?
We need a referendum to determine whether this process is fair. Referendi for everyone!
Are you sayin that they are doubting the authenticity of the petition? Us church going folk would never do a corrupt thing like that. Must be those damn expats
LOL!!! If the damn ex-pats were allowed a vote then this nonsensical port wouldn’t ever see the light of day. Ex-pats care more about the island than certain locals ever will. They only care about the $$$$. Don’t worry. I could see the sarcasm in your post.
Some politicians believe that money buys immortality.
You know who you are and you are wrong.
Others believe that if they promote a devious agenda and enough ignorant voices echo the sentiment and click on an icon, then they can bully God and somehow transmute a lie into truth.
Such people are fools. What will you do when you die? To whom will you cry out to as your immortal consciousness slips into your eternal reward.
Who???? Go ahead, click down. Feel better now? Have you changed anything or are you bullying God? Good luck with that.
If you are struggling with the concept of God, go and take a look at a mother hen guarding her little chicks.
I may not be educated like most of you out there, but I am not stupid.
Mr. Governor please step in and provide the UK equivalent for dealing with these issues.
Mr. Howell, pardon me but there is also no law to force persons for individual verification, so instead of forcing that why don’t you (and the Premier) provide for a sampling process. Your explanations makes no sense. One is unlawful as the other since there is no law nor is it in the constitution! Also do the Premier and Mr. Howell think that we are all stupid, why wouldn’t we know which petition we signed. On another point, why wasn’t the register updated since 1996 so that you would have all the signatures. If the registers were good enough for the general election every four years, why the scramble to change that now. Was it also good enough for the Referendum on OPOV? It is clear that the Government has high–jacked the entire process. They have even created their own form, one would rhink that they are calling for the referendum!! If this government had been as diligent in cleaning up the crime, garbage problem, national conservation issues etc. etc. as they are doing with this Referendum we could say that they had our best interest at heart. A sad day for our Beloved Cayman!
As voters know the voters register is NOT good enough for you to vote, without you being independently verified with photo ID at the voting station. So, in short, you are wrong.
Will never happen because the Gov wants to stay here in Cayman and he is not going up against the Unity Premier
what UK equivalent? When did the UK have a peoples initiated referendum to draw reference from? If you’re thinking of Brexit that wasn’t initiated by the people.
The UK already follows established legal guidance on the meaning of the words “rational”, “lawful”, “proportionate”, “reasonable”, “integrity”, “interference” and “democracy.”
We have so much to learn.
The previous governor formally invited international elections experts appointed by the FCO, and they monitored and gave guidance in our last 2017 General Election.
So this would be the UK equivalent since we don’t have any international elections experts in government and it appears like we’re making it up as we go along.
These were international elections experts who led the last 2017 Election Observer Mission:
Hon. Stephen Rodan MLC, Head of Mission, Observer
Mrs. Mariam El-Azm, Election Mission Coordinator, Observer
Mrs. Anne Marborough, Legal Electoral Analyst, Observer
Mrs. Aurjul Wilson, Anguilla Supervisor of Elections, Observer
Hon. Mrs. Akilah Nisbett, St. Kitts & Nevis Senator & Deputy Speaker of the House, Observer
Dr. Armin Rabitsch, International Elections Expert, Election Analyst, Observer
If nobody is home, can’t the verifiers just leave the forms at the house and come back later to pick them up, signed? Or better still, include an addressed envelope with CIG franking so the form can be mailed back?
I don’t trust the mail.
And someone else in the household picks it up and sens it back in?
This would be good as many are likely to be at work when (if) election officials really do call.
Time to march cayman ,get the wheelbarrows and let’s wake the town and tell the Gov we have spoken ,,,,oh but I forget not too many of those kind of people left ,I remember those days ,,,hundreds of us ….God help us ,,but someone will have many sleepless nights for the things that’s happe here for love of money .
Is there free food? Or I ain’t coming
Make sure you find a new slate and pencil for the next election. Those cross eyed double-crossers, let them wonder why they didn’t top the polls. March , March, and get them thinking. They are only warming their seats in order to collect a salary.
What about a negative consent contact? A simple robot call or email saying you’ve signed the petition, please reach out if this is not the case.
Too many false positives. Right now anyone who signed can go to the elections office to verify. Same system just reversed. But we wouldn’t accept that as fair because of too many false negatives. Too many people won’t follow-up regardless of if its to say ‘yes I signed’ or ‘no I did not sign’.
Plus, logistically, this relies on having the contact information of the voter, and them answering the robot call or spam email. Again, reversing the process, if you don’t answer the spam email or unknown number on your phone your signature is invalidated? Does that sound fair?
In the absence of a law the government could make a policy decision to do a sample of the petition signatures for authenticity. Government makes decisions by policy decision all the time when there is no law in place. The position to do this is strengthened by the fact that other countries use the sample approach.
It does not even take government to take that decision. The elections office could!
But the elections office has just proved it is controlled by cabinet. The fact that cabinet has called for a verified list to be provided to cabinet is worrying. The fact that the elections office is complying with cabinets request is terrifying.
The only thing the elections office should report is the total number of signatures, and whether or not that exceeds 25%. Nothing else is of lawful reasonable relevance to cabinet or anyone else.
This has the potential to the end of the rule of law and democracy. Anyone that cannot see that is blind.
If the governor does not intervene on this, I will openly question why we bother.
The flaw in your reasoning is that the elections office must report that more than 25% of the registered voters signed the petition. This is subtly different from “the total number of signatures, and whether or not that exceeds 25%.” Because your statement begs the question: how do they verify that those signatures are all eligible voters?
Let me ask another philosophical question – not pertinent to this petition: if during verification it is found that someone’s signature on the petition was coerced, lets say the person says ‘yes I signed but I was coerced and I don’t want my signature to count’, do you think the signature should count or not?
A new way to further intimidate Civil Servants who already signed. This is crazy and corrupt. A simple yes/ no question to those who signed is all that is needed. The Alden Mafia is doing everything they can to hinder this from going forward as the people wish.
Surely civil servants personal ID info is on the public registry and easily verified- come on people, who comes up with this nonsense!
And to show good faith, good governance and that they are listening to the people the government should ensure that 1. this process is expedited, and 2. all ongoing discussions and decisions are put on hold until the petition is verified and then, until the referendum is held.
You can always tell when someone has not read or does not understand the constitution. Got a problem? Take section 19, apply it to the problem, and on no day would it ever be rational or reasonable to do what is proposed.
This is not the actual vote!
Except it’s not a Constitution at all.
But what is a “Constitution”, it’s just a bunch of laws made by a certain group at a certain point in time that can’t be changed isn’t it?
Tek dat and rewind it back.
Good job elections boss and you will be highly promoted for getting this silly referendum tossed out. Build our port!
Someone enjoys a dictatorship.
The attraction is $$$$
Nothing short of voter suppression. Normally only seen in dictatorial jurisdictions.
Such as the US
The idiot in the white house will soon be replaced and checks and balances restored.
12:03pm And we have one in the form of the Premier. Let him keep rowing his boat, the sea is not going to be calm everyday. Enjoy the ride.
Thank you Mr Howell. Any Government that simply accepts a bunch of signatures without verification is not following good governance. What the Election Office is doing is simply common sense. I cannot understand what all the fuss is about.
You don’t want to understand it, because you are trolling for the thieves in our government.
Don’t be ridiculous. I signed the petition and I agree with the verification process. That doesn’t make me a troll.
Me either!
Wesley Howell just let the cat out of the bag. I can’t wait to hear the response from the Premier and Cabinet members
Wesley Howell is a Gentleman
Just painted himself with the same brush the PPM are using. This is outrageous how they are playing games and we all know this port will go ahead with or with out the petition. Boys club need to cash out before they are voted out of office again.
He is a pawn who appears not to have an understanding of the very heavy responsibilities placed on him. He is also a gentleman.
This Cabinet and Elections Office have officially rigged the verification process against the people which shows the corrupt way they operate to deny the public their rights.
Governor Roper and the FCO must intervene in the public interests as Cayman is being run like a banana republic.
One banana republic ruling another.
You can’t make this stuff up!
Systemic corruption is obvious and constant in the Caymans. It is unbelievable the attempts made by public officers. It will not stop until persons at the highest levels are investigated and charged for abuse of office. They will now try to convince people to retract their signing of the petition with a government sponsored media campaign.
There was another secret petition conducted in opposition to the referendum which has accumulated 27% of the electorates signatures.
As such I propose in the essence of time that we do not verify any petition signatures, and in good faith accept the results of each petition, as such nullify the call for a referendum.
11.39, You lie!
The 11:39 poster does have a very valid point. Appears that some people are only against verification when it’s inconvenient for their personal point of view.
11:39am Now that makes sense!
LOL!
Sickening waste of yet more public funds. The lengths this government is going to in order to keep quiet which pockets are being lined by this ridiculous project is, frankly, embarassing.
These people will sell the future of their own country, sell their children’s future, all for the sake of a quick buck. It is hard to watch.
Oh how I wish I could shake your hand. 11:37
Just Another Day in Absurdistan
Well it’s now official Mr. Howell’s appears not willing to play the role of scape goat for the Premier and his Cabinet.
Key questions must be answered by Governor Roper and the Elections Supervisor particularly the following:
1. How can Cabinet direct the Elections Supervisor when he reports directly to the Governor on this matter?
2. The Governor’s Office assured the public there would clear separation between Mr. Howell’s as Elections Supervisor and his role as Chief Officer of the Premier’s portfolios. It does not appear to be working. What will be done to address this breach?
3. Where is the good governance that was promised by the Governor’s Office?
Section 70 of the Constitution providing for people-initiated referendums does not support this signature verification process. 25% of people registered as electors is all that is needed. If you’re registered, you’re an elector, entitled to petition for a referendum. Government doesn’t get to add language to that.
Section 90 of the Constitution (“Qualifications of electors”) doesn’t provide for this either. It says nothing about signatures or registered voters proving their identities, only who may register.
Nor does the Elections Law, which does not even include the word “referendum”. All the Elections Law allows is for the presiding officer to verify your identity at the polling station by requiring your voter ID or another ID that confirms your identity, and by asking you if you are the person whose name appears on the register.
The government is acting outside its lawful authority and is therefore in violation of Sections 19 and 24 of the Constitution, and can be taken to court under Section 26.
The public were told there would be no engagement by the Elections Supervisor with Cabinet until the verification process is completed yet by his own admission the Elections Supervisor has been directed by Cabinet on the verification process. It is most appropriate to say “I smell a rat” to quote the Hon. Roy Bodden.
This entire process reeks worse than the dump from top to bottom where politicians are manipulating the process from out the gates while the administrative arm now appear complicit. These are dangerous times and precedent setting events for the Cayman Islands.
A people initiated referendum is a petition to Cabinet. If cabinet wants a fully verified list then someone/some agency needs to do that and in this case it’s the Elections Office. This does not mean that the Cabinet is directing or influencing the process of verification.
Not everything is a conspiracy people…
The problem starts with “If Cabinet wants….”. The whole point of a people initiated referendum is to provide a check and balance against Cabinet. Assuming they can object their own limitations or rules on the process, and then have that process administered by someone whose day job is not only serving cabinet but has openly indicated he is taking instructions may not be a conspiracy, but sure as hell looks like one.
I said it before and I will say it again. They need to go to Court to stop this charade!!
This is a disgrace of CONSTITUTIONAL proportions!
Alden, Moses, Julianna, Tara, Joey, McKeeva, Austin, John-John, David…and others – ought to be completely ashamed of themselves.
So the same people who voted down the option to have the referendum last year and save everyone 10 months of organizing saying that they wouldn’t interfere in the process (as they pretended to support the idea) and then turned around and spent tens of thousands of dollars campaigning against the petition are the ones who now get to determine by what merit the petition is valid
We might as well just hire the staff of Kirk Freeport to verify the petition at this point because the Government has all but ensured the numbers will never be “verified” simply by going door to door when people are at work they will write off dozens if not hundreds of signatures
Something truly is rotten in the state of Cayman
The Governor has said he is committed to ensuring the process is fair. How can he read comments like 117 and stand up after the event and say it was not only fair but perceived as fair? He’s probably praying that the petition is verified since putting his name to a rejection is going to have to UK government as stuck to the allegations of corruption tar baby as the Elections Office and the Cabinet.
Is the free ham and turkey at Christmas worth the price of letting Alden and Mac p*ss all over our democratic principles?
According to your theory the elections office failed to verify hundreds of electors when they did this same process a couple of years ago to make the new single member constituency voting roles. (A) No one has claimed they were disenfranchised by that process. (B) If they were, they couldn’t sign the petition in the second place anyway. So there is no reason – except your bad-mindedness – to assume that the elections office can’t do this verification fairly.
“Howell said that with no law to provide for a sampling process, individual verification of all 5,289 signatures is the only option.”
And with no education to understand how statistics work, you’ll have to accept that sheer stupidity from government, which is laughing at you.
Al, a sampling process involves an acceptance of a margin of error and percentage of confidence… what should the margin of error & the confidence level be? this is why we need a referendum law.
No, if the margin of error (determined by a random sampling) still provides more than 25%, then any reasonable elections office would confirm the petition as meeting the requirement.
25% margin of error = 25% wrong. So 100, with a 25% margin of error = 75-125. Therefore if 100 is the threshold for, say, shooting yourself in the foot and your score is actually 76 would you shoot yourself in the foot because it is within the margin of error?
Pretty simple. The CPR turned in more signatures than are necessary to meet the threshold. If the margin of error is less than the number of excess signatures, then it is clear that the threshold has been met.
This is incredibly basic, and is the foundation of processes relied upon to deliver your electric power, water, and other basic needs.
Actually, no it is not the foundation of delivering utilities.