California Code of Regulations
Title 2 - Administration
Division 7 - Secretary of State
Chapter 5 - Election Petition Signature Verification Random Sampling Verification Methodology
Article 4 - Miscellaneous
Section 20540 - Example
Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) An initiative petition was filed in County X. The elections official counted the number of signatures affixed to the petition and determined the raw count to be 24,034. The required three percent random sample for initiative petitions was drawn and 722 signatures were randomly selected. The signatures were verified and the results were as follows:
| Raw count: | 24,034 signatures | ||
| Random sample (3%): | 722 signatures | ||
| Signatures found valid in sample: | 516 signatures | ||
| Signatures found not valid in sample: | 205 signatures | ||
| Signatures requested to be withdrawn found in sample (included in 205 signatures deemed not valid): | 1 signature | ||
| Number of duplicate signatures found in sample: | 2 signatures |
| 1. | The elections official computed the percent of valid signatures by dividing the total number of signatures found valid in the sample, 516, by the total number of signatures in the sample, 722. | 516 / 722 = 71.47% |
| 2. | The elections official then multiplied the raw count of 24,034 by the sample validity rate of 71.47% (or .7147) to determine the number of uncorrected total valid signatures. The result was 17,178. | 24,034 x .7147 = 17,177.0990 (Round up to 17,178) |
| 3. | To calculate the duplicate signature factor, the elections official divided the raw count sample size. | 24,034 + 722 = 33.2881 |
| 4. | To determine the weight assigned to each duplicate signature found in the sample, the elections official multiplied the duplicate signature factor computed at #3., above, by the factor computed at #3., above, minus one. | 33.2881 x 32.2881 = 1,074.8095 (33.2881 -- 1.0000 = 32.2881) |
| 5. | The elections official then multiplied the number calculated in #4., above, times the number of duplicate signatures found in the sample (2). | 1,074.8095 x 2 = 2,149.6190 (Round up to 2,150) |
| 6. | The elections official determined the number of valid signatures based on the random sample by subtracting the figure computed at Step #5., above, from the figure computed at Step #2., above. | 17,178 -- 2,150 = 15,028 |
In this example, out of the 24,034 initiative signatures submitted to the elections official, 15,028 signatures were projected to be valid based on the random sample of signatures.
1. New article 4 and section filed 9-28-93; operative 10-28-93 (Register 93, No. 40).
Note: Authority cited: Section 12172.5, Government Code and Section 3520, Elections Code. Reference: Sections 3520, 3708, 3755, 4009, 4054, 4091, 5153.5, 5200, 6555.5, 6831.1, 27101 and 27215, Elections Code.
