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

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 for an 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 the city clerk.

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

• You are responsible for your petitions. Please bring them back to us when you are done (hopefully, when they are full!) Please return all the petitions (even if they were 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 don’t mind you speaking to customers coming in/out of the store but you should ask permission.

• Please return completed petition sheets to us on FRIDAY of each week. You may return 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

#126 505.262.2629

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, as well.

• If someone has questions you can’t answer, just call us at any of those offices or refer them to the website: ReducePenalties.com

VISIT OUR ONLINE VOLUNTEER CENTER FOR MORE INFO

ReducePenalties.com/volunteer

What will reducing penalties do?

Simply put, the proposed "Reducing Marijuana Penalties Act" takes marijuana possession out of

the city’s criminal code and replaces it with a $25 civil penalty. No person charged under city

ordinance would be incarcerated or carry a criminal conviction on their record.

Under current city code, possession of small amounts of marijuana carries up to a $100 fine and 15 days in jail

for the first offense and a up to 90 days in jail for subsequent offenses. Marijuana paraphernalia possession

carries a stiffer penalty: up to a $100 fine and 90 days in jail on a first offense.(Ord. 16-15.1, 16-15.2)

What about state law?

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

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

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

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

Why just change Santa Fe’s law? How does this citizen petition process work?

Santa Fe’s 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 5,600

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 SANTA FE

Sign 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

VOTE FOR reducing MARIJUANA penalties

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