9030.
(a) Each section of the petition shall be filed with the elections official of the county or city and county for in which it was circulated, but all sections circulated in any county or city and county shall be filed at the same time. Once filed, no petition section shall be amended except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.(b) Within eight 10 days after the filing of the petition, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the total number of signatures affixed to the petition and and, in the case of an initiative petition, the total number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036. The elections official shall transmit this information to the Secretary of State. If the total number of signatures filed with all elections officials is less than 100 percent of the number of qualified voters required to find the petition sufficient, the sufficient or, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 is less than the total number needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the Secretary of State shall so notify the proponents and the elections officials, and no further action shall be taken with regard to the petition.
(c) If the number of signatures filed with all elections officials is 100 percent or more of the number of qualified voters needed to declare the petition sufficient, the sufficient and, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 is equal to or greater than the total number needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the elections officials.
(d) (1) Within 35 days after this notification, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition and the number of qualified voters who have signed a section of the petition that satisfies the requirement of subdivision (a) of Section 9036.
(d) (2) Within (A) 30 days after this notification, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition. If more than 500 names have been signed on sections of the petition filed with an elections official, the elections official shall use a random sampling technique for verification of signatures, as determined by the Secretary of State. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn from all petition sections in such a manner that every signature filed with the elections official shall be given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample. The random sampling shall include an examination of at least 500 or 3 percent of the signatures, whichever is greater. In determining from the records of registration what number of qualified voters have signed the petition, the elections official may use any facsimiles of voters’ signatures provided that the method of preparing and displaying the facsimiles complies with law. A signature shall not be invalidated because of a variation of the signature caused by the substitution of initials for the first or middle name, or both, of the person signing the petition.
(B) For initiative petitions, a second random sample of signatures shall be drawn from all petition sections submitted to satisfy subdivision (a) of Section 9036 and verified according to the procedures set forth by the Secretary of State. The verification of signatures that are submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 shall be consistent with subdivision (g) of that section.
(C) In each case, the random sampling shall include an examination of at least 500 or 3 percent of the signatures on the respective petitions or sections of petitions, whichever is greater.
(3) In determining from the records of registration the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition, the elections official may use the duplicate file of affidavits of registered voters or the facsimiles of voters’ signatures, provided that the method of preparing and displaying the facsimiles complies with law.
(e) The elections official, upon the completion of the examination, shall immediately attach to the petition, except the signatures thereto appended, a properly dated certificate, certificate showing the result of the examination, examination and shall immediately transmit the petition and the certificate to the Secretary of State. A copy of this certificate shall be filed in the elections official’s office.
(f) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State establish that the number of valid signatures does not equal 95 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient, the sufficient or, in the case of an initiative petition, that the number of valid signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 does not equal 95 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the petition shall be deemed to have failed to qualify, and the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the proponents and the elections officials.
(g) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State total more than 110 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient, the sufficient and, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of valid signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 total more than 110 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the petition shall be deemed to qualify as of the date of receipt by the Secretary of State shall certify that the measure is qualified for the ballot as provided in Section 9033. of certificates showing the petition received more than 110 percent of the qualified voters needed, and the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the proponents and the elections officials.
(h) The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations consistent with this section. The initial regulations may be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and shall be deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare.