How Quickly Can Registrar Certify Signatures

BATON ROUGE – The proposed incorporation of the City of St. George can only occur if at least 1/4th of the registered voters in the prosposed city have signed a petition calling for an election, and those signatures have been certified as lawful. Former Registrar of Voters Elaine Lamb has said the required number is 17,859.

Supporters previous-ly filed 15,165 signatures that the Registrar certified.  That left supporters 2,694 short.  They had until May 28 to file those signatures.

Instead, St. George shocked observers by filing 4,630 additional signatures — apparently far more than necessary.

But a loophole in the law allows the process to go on longer than expected.  Opponents of incorporation can get persons who signed the petition to withdraw their signatures even after the May 28 filing deadline for supporters.

On May 28, opponents of St. George led by Dianne Hanley filled 810 affidavits from people who said they signed the petition but had changed their minds.

Oddly, there is no deadline for withdrawing signatures.  That means the longer the Registrar of Voters takes to certify the petititon, the longer opponents have to gather affidavits.

Hold Strong. “It’s an unfair process,” Norman Browning said, “but we can’t change it.  What we have to do is hold strong.  We urge those who signed the petition to stick to their guns.  Please don’t be intimidated by people who try to browbeat or intimidate you into withdrawing your signature.  If anyone attempts to do so, please call 366-7764.