Opinion ID: 1570583
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: The Signature-Revocation Provisions of Section 100.371, Florida Statutes (2007), and Its Implementing Regulations Fail to Satisfy These Standards

Text: Meanwhile, Secretary Browning contends that the prevention of signature fraud and forgery supports the Legislature's creation of this revocation concept, but concedes that revocation campaigns address far more than alleged instances of signature forgery or fraud. In addition, this newly created revocation concept provides a definite advantage to initiative opponents because the applicable regulations establish that if an elector signs a petition but later revokes his or her signature (even if fraudulently induced to do so), he or she may NEVER again sign the relevant initiative petition and, in a parallel fashion, initiative proponents are forever prohibited from obtaining the elector's support to place the initiative proposal on the ballot for the next general election. See Fla. Admin. Code R. 1S-2.0091(2)(a)2., 1S-2.0095(12) (Irrevocable Effect of Revocation). The Legislature has also criminalized the act of knowingly signing an initiative petition on more than one occasion, and has failed to provide an exception for electors who previously revoked their signatures. See § 104.185(1), Fla. Stat. (2007). Relatedly, initiative proponents who aid, abet, or advise an elector with regard to knowingly re-signing an initiative petition following revocation are subject to criminal prosecution as principal offenders. See §§ 104.091, 104.185(1), Fla. Stat. (2007). Of further concern is the fact that these provisions vest rival political action committees with the primary responsibility for drafting, distributing, marketing, and submitting petition-revocation forms, and render it practically impossible for initiative proponents to determine whether they have obtained the requisite number and distribution of verified signatures until it is too late to gather, submit, and verify additional signatures. See § 100.371(1), (6), Fla. Stat. (2007) (providing that the Secretary of State must verify that valid and verified petition forms have been signed by the constitutionally required number and distribution of electors no later than February 1 preceding the relevant general election, while providing that initiative opponents may submit petition-revocation forms by this same date ); Fla. Admin. R. 1S-2.0095(1)-(2), (6)-(7), (11); Fla. Admin. R. 1S-2.0095(10); cf. Take Back Tampa, 625 So.2d at 844-45 (holding that voter-registration status-confirmation forms should be presented directly to a neutral election official rather than a biased advocate (emphasis supplied)). These provisions thus decidedly favor initiative opponents and restrict and discourage the advocacy efforts of initiative proponents. The contrary position advanced by our dissenting colleagues is unsupported by the substance of the revocation provisions. Therefore, the statute and its implementing regulations are not well calculated to reduce perceived instances of forgery and fraud. To the contrary, they provide initiative opponents an unchecked, unopposed opportunity to persuade Florida electors by any means, including illicit, to revoke their signatures based upon these opponents' strident disagreement with the underlying initiative proposals.