'Keep Our Constitution Clean' clears threshold
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (NEWS SERVICE FLORIDA) - A proposed ballot measure that would make it harder to amend the Florida Constitution has cleared a key initial threshold, setting the stage for a review by the state Supreme Court.
The political committee Keep Our Constitution Clean had submitted 79,918 valid petition signatures to the state as of mid-day Wednesday, topping a threshold of 76,632 signatures that triggers the Supreme Court review, according to the Florida Division of Elections website.
The committee also had met related requirements dealing with petition signatures collected from at least seven congressional districts. The proposal, which could go on the November 2020 ballot, would require voters to approve constitutional amendments twice --- instead of once --- for them to take effect.
Before the measure could go before voters, the Supreme Court would need to sign off on the wording of the proposed ballot summary and title. Also, the committee ultimately would have to submit at least 766,200 valid petition signatures by a February deadline.
The committee received $1.84 million in contributions in August, with almost all of the total listed as in-kind contributions of petition gathering from a non-profit known as Keep Our Constitution Clean, Inc., according to a finance report filed with the state.
The non-profit contributed $816,000 to the effort in July.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.