5/23/2018 Albuquerque Petition Packet - Reducing MJ Penalties Campaign

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ABOUT THE PETITION PROCESS

The city charters in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe permit voters to petition the city

councils to enact new laws or change existing ones.

While the technical rules are slightly different in each city, they are alike in that they

both require us to gather signatures from a large number of voters in order to ask foran election on a question. In ABQ we need just over 11,000 signatures from

registered voters. In Santa Fe, we need about 5,600.

Anyone can collect signatures, but only from registered voters. It is against the law

for someone to sign for another person. We conduct quality control checks to ensure

that canvassers are following the rules. Each signature will also be verified by thecity clerk.

THANK YOU! This takes a lot of dedicated people working hard to make thishappen.

You are responsible for your petitions. Please bring them back to us when you aredone (hopefully, when they are full!) Please return all the petitions (even if theywere torn or had coffee spilled on them).

If you are canvassing on private property (like a grocery store or coffee shop),please respect the wishes of the property owner/manager. Most people dont

mind you speaking to customers coming in/out of the store but you should askpermission.

Please return completed petition sheets to us on FRIDAY of each week. You mayreturn them to:

Albuquerque Albuquerque Santa Fe

ProgressNowNM

625 Silver Ave SW #320

(Downtown)505.312.8509

New Mex. Fed. of Labor,

2300 Buena Vista Dr SE

#126505.262.2629

Drug Policy Alliance

343 E. Alameda Dr.

505.923.3277

We are happy to arrange for someone to pick them up and bring you new ones, aswell.

If someone has questions you cant answer, just call us at any of those offices orrefer them to the website: ReducePenalties.com

VISIT OUR ONLINE VOLUNTEER CENTER FOR MORE INFOReducePenalties.com/volunteer

5/23/2018 Albuquerque Petition Packet - Reducing MJ Penalties Campaign

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What will reducing penalties do?Simply put, the proposed "Reducing Marijuana Penalties Act" makes possession of less than one

ounce of Marijuana, and paraphernalia, an infraction punishable by no more than a $25 fine. No

person charged under city ordinance would be incarcerated.

Under current city code, possession of small amounts of marijuana carries a $50 fine and 15 days in jail for the

first offense and a $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail for subsequent offenses (Ord. 12-4-9).

What about state law?

Under NM state law it is still a crime to possess marijuana, but if passed, police in Albuquerque

would be able to choose to enforce the city ordinance instead of the harsher state law. Judges

also have the same discretion at sentencing.

We know our police have more important issues to focus on. A public vote approving the new law

gives officers and judges support for choosing to apply voter approved lower penalties.

Why just change Albuquerques law? How does this citizen petition process work?

Albuquerques city charter is just one a few in the state that permits citizens to propose or

amend laws by citizen petition. The law requires us to collect the signatures from about 11,000

registered city voters in order to require the city council to change the law or hold an election.

State law can only be changed by the legislature.

Who is part of this campaign?

This campaign is 100% grassroots led and supported by New Mexicans taking responsibility to

reforming our own marijuana laws. To comply with campaign finance laws, Drug Policy Action and

ProgressNow New Mexico formed Practical Policies NM PAC, a political action committee supporting

campaigns to reduce penalties for marijuana possession across New Mexico.

Paid for by Practical Policies NM PAC, M. Garcia, Treas. Printed in house.

CAMPAIGN TO

REDUCE MARIJUANA PENALTIES in ABQSign the petition to let voters decide this November

We don't do this alone. Visit our Find Your Friends page.

Many of your Facebook and Twitter friends are already supporters of the campaign.

http://reducepenalties.com/findyourfriends

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VOTE

FOR reducinMARIJUANApenalties

SIGN THE PETITION

HERE!

ARE YOU:

A CITY RESIDENT?

REGISTERED TO VOTE?

YOU CAN SIGN!

Paid for by Practical Policies NM PAC, M. Garcia, Treas. Printed In House.

REDUCE PENALTIES.COM

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