July 13, 2008

From: John Hedrick

For more nformation contact John @ johnhedrick13@yahoo.com or

click http://www.floridahometowndemocracy.com/

606,970 to be exact-this puts us within striking distance of getting both the number of signatures needed (only 4,039 valid ones needed)(Lesley said today there's several thousand more they also have to get processed) and meeting the distribution requirements by the time the federal court rules on the case.   Lesley also told me today that July 26 is the deadline for all responses, replies, whatever to all existing motions and the court theoretically could rule after that time but more likely it would be sometime in August. Oral argument has not been granted yet but still could be.   Assuming the court grants relief, which the attorneys feel by greater than 50% will happen, it would be ideal to walk into court and say "if the deadline date were today, we have enough signatures and have met the distribution requirements even by the state's problematic standards, so judge please put us on the ballot now." And trustfully he'd (and it is a he) would do just that.   So, first, if you have any signatures lying around (for example, I've got over a hundred gathered within this last week), please send them immediately to FHD.   Next, if you or people/groups you know can gather any signatures right away,please do that.   Third, if you or other people/groups can't gather signatures right now, ask them to send FHD a contribution to cover paid signature gatherers (supposedly the rate now has gone back up to $3/pop-a "heat" premium(smile)). FHD's address again is P.O. Box 636, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32170-0636.   Finally, if you live and/or can help in the districts below (see data at bottom), the signatures in essence count double because of the distribution requirement-we only need to qualify 2 of the 3 districts. District 21 (Miami/Dade and Broward) is only 310 valid signatures short. District 6 (Duval, Clay, Bradford, Alachua, Gilcrest, Levy, Lake, Marion) is only 2,101 short. And District 15, which the campaign has also been targeting (Brevard, Indian River, Osceola, Polk) is 4,556 short.   Trustfully the court will not make all we've done count for nothing for this year- we don't think it will and anything you can do now could just guarantee that FHD will be on the ballot this year. Thanks much for all you've been doing and anything additional that you can and will do. More soon, John   DISTRICT 6
Needed for Review 2,782
Needed for Ballot 27,821