I interviewed Marcus Ruiz Evans, founder and president of the “Yes California” independence movement in April of this year. The three-part series (posted on April 23, 24, and 25) delved into the purpose, goals, and scope of the movement, which aims at making California its own country, independent from the United States.
https://www.independentsentinel.com/exclusive-interview-with-california-secession-founder/
https://www.independentsentinel.com/exclusive-interview-with-california-secession-founder-part-2/
https://www.independentsentinel.com/exclusive-interview-with-california-secession-founder-part-3/
Mr. Evans recently called to let me know that he submitted the California Independence ballot measure to the California Attorney General’s Office on July 29, 2020. The measure received its official circulating title and summary on September 9, 2020. That authorized a petition to put it on the ballot for a vote by the citizens of California.
The purpose of the petition is to collect the required number of signatures to qualify the measure for the 2022 ballot. If voters approve the measure in November of 2022, then the state of California will put the independence referendum before the voters on Election Day in November 2024.
In order to qualify the measure for the ballot, 623,212 signatures must be collected by Tuesday, March 9, 2021. That gives “Yes California” 180 days to collect the required number of signatures from registered voters. Previous initiatives failed to gather the required number of signatures.
Voters who sign the petition are requesting an amendment to the California Constitution relating to the establishment of an independence “plebiscite.” A plebiscite, also called a referendum, is a direct vote by the citizens of a country, or in this case a state, that expresses an opinion for or against a proposal. It usually relates to a choice in the form of government, independence, or changes to the constitution.
For this measure to pass in 2022, it has to meet two criteria. First, at least 50 percent of registered voters must participate in the election. Second, 55 percent of those who vote must approve the measure. If both those criteria are met, that would place the independence referendum on the 2024 ballot. Voters would then determine if California should leave the United States and become an independent country.
Mr. Evans requested that I interview the chairperson and executive director of the California independence movement about this upcoming referendum.
Last week in a conference call I interviewed Hal Lohr, Chairman of “Independent California since 2019 and Shankar Singam, the Executive Director.
The success of the petition drive will determine whether or not Californians have the opportunity to vote to secede from the United States and form their own independent country.
Tomorrow I will post my exclusive interview with the two people who are most responsible for the outcome of this petition drive: Part 2/3 – Challenges to Independence.
Image from: en.wikipedia.org
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