cannabisnews.com: Mendocino Pot Measure in Limbo





Mendocino Pot Measure in Limbo
Posted by CN Staff on June 05, 2008 at 05:21:40 PT
By Mike Geniella, The Press Democrat
Source: Press Democrat
Ukiah, CA --  With about 40 percent of the ballots still uncounted, victory is not a sure thing for backers of a hotly contested campaign to repeal Mendocino County's liberal marijuana guidelines.Measure B appeared to win Tuesday by a 52-48 percent margin, amounting to 701 votes, in a closely watched election that has attracted national attention. But county Clerk Susan Ranochak said Wednesday the preliminary results don't include 10,385 absentee ballots not yet tabulated.
In addition, 439 "provisional" ballots that voters Tuesday dropped by polling places or the county's election office also are uncounted.There were 16,364 votes counted Tuesday night from across the county, compared to the combined 10,824 ballots still outstanding.The uncounted votes are roughly split between inland southern Mendocino County, where Measure B posted strong results, and the Anderson Valley, Mendocino Coast and Willits/Laytonville regions, where there's a long history of marijuana tolerance.Ranochak said it could be up to 28 days before official election results are released, the maximum time allowed under state election laws.Ranochak's announcement sobered Measure B supporters, who initially believed there weren't enough ballots left uncounted to substantially alter the victory margin."We're still optimistic, but we had no idea the uncounted vote would be so large," said Ukiah businessman Ross Liberty, a key Measure B supporter.Liberty said that based on early polling last winter, he and other Measure B supporters had hoped for a winning margin of 60 percent or more in order to "send a big message."Laura Hamburg, leader of the Measure B opposition, said she's happy the gap closed in the final weeks.Liberty and Hamburg agreed the ballots that are to be counted possibly could shift the outcome.Even so, both Liberty and Hamburg suggested there might be a middle ground for residents angry over large-scale marijuana growers flaunting their presence, and their profits.Hamburg said marijuana-related issues are complex, and deeply woven into the culture of a "county we all love."Liberty said, "We have more common ground than we tended to acknowledge in the heat of the campaign."The Measure B campaign drew renewed attention to the scale of marijuana production in Mendocino and other rural counties. It also underscored results of a continuing lack of uniform state guidelines.Law enforcement authorities said the confusion is the fallout from a 1996 statewide vote to decriminalize marijuana cultivation for medical uses. In 2000 Mendocino voters took it a step further by setting a personal use standard of 25 plants per person, at the time the nation's most liberal.Voters also directed local law enforcement agencies to make marijuana arrests and prosecution their lowest priorities. Measure B if passed will repeal those local provisions but whether the county can conform to more restrictive state guidelines as dictated is unclear. A state appellate court has ruled the state guidelines are unconstitutional.Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA)Author: Mike Geniella, The Press DemocratPublished: Thursday, June 5, 2008 Copyright: 2008 The Press DemocratContact: letters pressdemo.comWebsite: http://www.pressdemo.com/Related Articles: Mendocino Pot Repeal Narrowly Passeshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23983.shtmlVoters Say Yes on B: Marijuana Reform Approvedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23982.shtmlMeasure To Curb MJ Growing Approvedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23981.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on June 05, 2008 at 09:40:18 PT
nuevo mexican 
It's good to see you and I've always enjoyed reading what you write. Today is the first day I don't feel a need to keep my eyes on the news. I'm glad it's over and I can get into things here at home. I know it's not over but it won't be intense again for awhile. The Obama family needs to take a vacation and just rest as best as they can. I have been waiting for this time in history to happen almost all my life and it is comforting.This is for Bobby Kennedy today. It always makes me cry. I'm a sentimental person.Abraham, Martin, and Johnhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_OqdHMoTxE
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Comment #3 posted by phil_debowl on June 05, 2008 at 09:31:03 PT
Measure B is illegal
The results of this really don't matter as the california supreme court ruled that setting limits outside of the prop215 guidelines is unconstitutional.
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Comment #2 posted by museman on June 05, 2008 at 09:23:50 PT
So let me get this straight
If voters pass a law, then the right-wing-born-again power brokers, can get up another 'initiative' to go against it, and everyone can vote on it, but if it's a law not made by the people, -like the WOD- they have no rights to vote on it?And if it's a law 'not made by the people' then isn't that a clear violation of the spirit, if not the letter, of constitutional law? If the law is made without the consent of the people?10th ammendment; "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."I realize that the congress made cannabis illegal under certain powers of commerce regulation, and tweaks here and there to the interpretation of their powers, but the fact is that the 'Big Brother' powers of state that we are dealing with are essentially unconstitutional. However, since all the lawyers belong to the same clubs, we're not going to get many of them to bite the hand that feeds them.There needs to be a national initiative to repeal prohibition. A national vote of the issue. The powers of the people need to be taken back, and if there is any real 'democratic action' it will be on the part of the people, and not the government.Why do we consistently elect the kinds of people that we have to watch like hawks to make sure they keep their hands out of the cookie jar? Because we continue to believe in the wrong values - which they represent. We continue to believe in appearances, paper credentials, and empty, pretty words. A bright smile of perfect teeth will get you further than honesty, integrity, and true intent to be of service.When more than 52% of the population get real, we will have a 'majority.' We may already have it without realiziing it, but it doesn't matter if we don't use it for something other than electing the next front men for the rich into power.The word 'initiative' means taking action. Time to take it to a national level within the next few years. I think we need a peoples constitutional convention (as I've said before) and maybe a few other people taking that initiative could get the ball rolling.
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Comment #1 posted by nuevo mexican on June 05, 2008 at 09:22:08 PT
Happy Obama day FOM!
Since the 'old' media refuses to give it the proper attention, I will here:Happy Days are HERE again!
Hillary will NOT be V.P. and Bill will head for the hills!(Though she may be institutionalized.....)Obama is a Leo, with a Gemini Moon and Aquarius Rising, his birth time has been found!Watching Amy Goodman interview John Pilger on RFK's assassination, www.democracynow.orgMust-see TeeVee!Gotta love the last line of the article, which should be the headline, shouldn't it?A state appellate court has ruled the state guidelines are unconstitutional.OFF/ON topic:Pluto, the 'black' planet, is now in Capricorn, the sign of leaders, and leadership, and with Pluto, the planet of total 'change', in the sign of change, Capricorn, the Universe appears to be fulfilling our contract, with electing a mixed-race person, (the case for inter-breeding!), as our 'leader'. Thus the word 'change' is HUGE now!A 'black' prez!' (though he's half 'white', right?)If we can have a moron for Prez, how about someonw truly qualified? Yeah, that's it!It is a 'start'!Pluto will be in Capricorn for the next 22 years, where it was when the U.S. was 'born', thus, the actual 'physical' break-up of the U.S. will occur, is would seem, with the 'new weather', catastrophic weather patterns, determining new population centers, with mass re-location becoming the 'norm', as the weather forces many to move, change their ways of living, and embrace Earth-friendly approaches to making a living. Can we all get along now?I know ONE thing that makes HUGE crowds of people happy, joyous, and exhilarated, especially if music and creativity are involved! What could that be?Man-made 'laws' will be 'moot', as the law of the jungle will have to be re-written, for times when the only help you have is yourself or your neighbors, who I hope you like and know!What would those activities be?Producing food, learning new skills, having a stock of medicinal Cannabis, with food, fuel and fiber being the side-benefits, if industrial uses are fostered, for all who choose to survive the massive 'wiping out' of the traces of man kinds carbon footprint on the Earth.We choose to repair the damage to the planet that began to increase rapidly with the American WAY becoming the worst thing the planet has ever seen, dooming the planet to certain extinction. Look at all of the Tornadoes hitting the U.S. with the Hurricane season promising to destroy many, so stay light-footed, and with your eyes in the sky.The 'planet' needs us to 'plan it', so we will 'PLANT IT'!Whatever 'it' is, you have the 'god-given' ability to feed, clothe, nurture, and sustain yourself, all though the planets' abundance, that we've squandered, and fortunately, we will, at the last minute, wake up and smell the roses!And make it so!So Be IT!The last line in the article, which should be the headline, is buried conveniently at the end! The truth IS out there, usually buried in the article, or tagged on at the very end.Please memorize, and state frequently!A state appellate court has ruled the state guidelines are unconstitutional.Looking forward to the final results, TWENTY-EIGHT days from now?!Huh?Happy Days ARE here again, though for how long, it is up to us!
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