Initiative sponsors scramble to gather names

[cleofus1]

http://www.adn.com/news/government/story/6770375p-6659198c.html

"JUNEAU -- When Alaskans last November narrowly approved a constitutional amendment changing the state's initiative process, opponents of the measure shook their heads and lamented that democracy would be that much further out of reach.


To the sponsors who pushed the proposition through, the changes meant an end to the practice of petitioning in a few populated areas of the state and ignoring the rural areas.

But opponents say the new requirements make it more difficult to get a citizen's initiative on the ballot: A higher percentage of signatures is needed from more state House districts.

And now initiative sponsors are scrambling for new ways to gather the 31,451 signatures in time to put their issues on the 2006 ballot."