Fairfax, Va. – The Electoral Board in Cook County, Illinois has agreed to dismiss a bogus petition to create a referendum on the November ballot asking if the sale of semi-automatic firearms should be banned in Illinois.
The National Rifle Association backed a protest filed in response to the referendum petition. The petition asked, “Shall the Governor and the members of the Illinois General Assembly enact legislation to ban the sale of semi-automatic and assault weapons that are used by criminals to threaten the lives of law enforcement and the people of Illinois?” NRA member Selvin Morgan, a resident of Cook County, filed the objection to this petition and the NRA supported him in this effort.
The names, addresses and signatures of more than 83,000 Cook County residents were needed for the question raised by the petition to make it on to the ballot. The petitioner submitted information for only a fraction of that requirement, but tried to proceed anyway. Many of the entries even lacked valid names, addresses and signatures.
This petition and Mr. Morgan’s protest to the petition were the subject of a hearing before the Cook County Electoral Board on August 17th. At that time, the NRA assisted Mr. Morgan in asking that this referendum be stricken from the ballot. On August 20th, the board agreed with Mr. Morgan and the NRA, saying that the petitioner had a “failure to have a sufficient number of valid signatures.”
Mr. Morgan’s objection was sustained so the referendum will not appear on the November ballot.
-NRA-
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.
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On this edition of the ILA Report, NRA-ILA Media Liaison Rachel Parsons joins Cam Edwards to report on top news and firearms legislation from across the nation. In headlines this week:
Arizona: Gun sales rise following new weapons law
Oregon: Attention Portland-Area NRA Members: Tell Mayor Adams You Oppose His City Gun Control Plan!
Update: NRA’s Challenge to Semi-Auto Ban Referendum in Illinois a Success