Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jun 2008
Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA)
Copyright: 2008 The Press Democrat
Contact: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/services/feedback.html
Website: http://www.pressdemo.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348
Author: Mike Geniella, The Press Democrat
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Measure+G
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Marijuana - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

FINAL POT VOTE COUNT UNDER WAY

Mendocino County Absentee Ballots to Determine Outcome of Measure B

Mendocino County election officials today started counting 10,385 
absentee ballots cast in the June 2 primary, results that will 
determine the outcome of a hotly contested measure to repeal the 
county's liberal marijuana guidelines.

County Clerk Sue Ranochak said the outcome might be known Friday. 
"We're as eager as everyone else to get it done," said Ranochak.

Measure B on election night appeared to win by a 52-48 percent 
margin. But most of the 16,364 ballots counted then were from the 
inland areas of Ukiah, Redwood Valley and Potter Valley, where the 
drive to repeal county marijuana rules originated.

As election night wore on, Measure B's margin of victory tighten 
significantly as ballots began to be counted from more marijuana 
tolerant regions of the county including the Mendocino Coast, 
Anderson Valley and Willits/Laytonville.

With the final 40 percent of the total vote just now being counted, 
the outcome could change.

The Measure B campaign drew national attention to the scale of 
marijuana production in Mendocino and other rural counties. It also 
underscored the lack of uniform state guidelines surrounding 
individual's use of marijuana for medical reasons.

If Measure B does pass, current county standards decriminalizing up 
to 25 marijuana plants per person will be repealed and more 
restrictive state guidelines of six plants put in place.

Even so, the effect will be unclear. As the Measure B campaign 
concluded, state guidelines were ruled unconstitutional by a state 
appellate court in Los Angeles. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake