Fight continues to get EM issue on November ballot

"The signatures have been verified, but yet the referendum is not on the ballot," Reverend David Bullock said Monday.

He is leading the charge to put the issue of emergency managership on the November ballot for voters to decide whether it's fair.

The Board of Canvassers had said there was a problem with the petitioners' papers.

"The font size on the heading was not the right size.  Turns out the last twelve ballot initiatives have had the wrong font size," Bullock said.

The Court of Appeals ruled last week that the technicality doesn't hold weight, so the opposition was told they have 42 days to appeal that decision.  However, that potential 42 day delay puts the petitioners in a bind.  The Board of Canvassers only has until August 27 to certify all of those signatures, and only the Secretary of State or the court can tell them to speed things up.

We asked the governor's office for comment on the push to purge Public Act 4.  They said, "The Governor fully supports the rights of citizens to express their beliefs.  However, there has been so much misinformation and rhetoric.  There's an important word in the state's emergency manager law, and that's EMERGENCY.  None of this would be necessary unless these communities and schools weren't facing crises or the most dire of circumstances."

"Those of us who suffer from that policy have not had a chance to decide whether or not we think that's the best approach.  This thing should get on the ballot.  Let us decide," said Bullock.

The reverend is asking protesters to head to one of four Secretary of State branch offices at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday to have their voices heard and to encourage them to speed things up.