My Signature Counts Amendment
The My Signature Counts Amendment amends the Oregon Constitution and guarantees that if you sign an initiative or referendum petition, you have a right to have your signature counted by the Secretary of State in order to determine whether or not a measure has enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The United States Supreme Court made it clear that circulating an initiative or referendum petition is a form of free speech. When you sign your name to an initiative or referendum petition, you are engaging in one of the most fundamental aspects of our democracy. You are petitioning our government for change.
In recent years, special interests have taken control of the legislature. These special interests hate the citizen’s right to make change through the initiative and referendum process, and they would try to eliminate the initiative and referendum process altogether if they could. But these special interests – headed by powerful public employee unions – know that Oregonians cherish the initiative and referendum process, and would never support any effort to get rid of the initiative and referendum altogether.
So the special interests have taken a different route to eliminating the initiative and referendum process. What they have done is manage to get a number of devious laws passed that allow (and in some cases require) the Secretary of State to eliminate your signature on a petition, even if you did nothing wrong! Your signature on a petition is your voice, letting people know that you demand change!. These laws silence your voice!
The My Signature Counts Amendment provides Oregonians with an affirmative right to have their signature counted. Put another way, the My Signature Counts Amendment guarantees your right to be heard!