PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A state court judge has denied a request from the sponsor of a medical marijuana ballot measure to put the proposal before voters in November.
Attorney General Marty Jackley said Tuesday that Circuit Court Judge Mark Barnett’s decision was based on a lack of valid petition signatures.
Secretary of State Shantel Krebs had rejected a challenge from advocates over her evaluation that supporters didn’t turn in enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot.
Sponsor Melissa Mentele’s lawsuit argued that Krebs didn’t send proper notice of the decision. It also says the secretary of state erroneously sampled petition signatures and then improperly performed a second sampling.
The court found that Mentele received proper notice and that she hadn’t proven the petition had enough valid signatures.
Mentele’s attorney didn’t immediately respond to a telephone message for comment.