We've started a trend!

Oh, the outrage! Opponents of ballot initiatives love to complain about underhanded tactis in the collection of the signatures. Credulous newspaper reporters (I once was one) often fall for it. The outrages seem so immense: The petitions have duplicate signatures! There are signatures from people who aren't registered to vote! In the youtube era, the newest thing is to post video of signature gatherers, in some dismal supermarket parking lot, misrepresenting -- or, gasp, lying about -- the initiative's intent as they attempt to get signatures. Unbelievable!

Better to take a deep breath and challenge the lousy initiative on the merits. Every petition ever collected has signatures with problems. That's why proponents typically secure about 50 percent more signatures than is legally necessary. If 70 percent of the signatures collected on an initiative or referendum petition turn out to be valid, that's an excellent, honest petition.