Calexit measure: California secession campaign can start gathering signatures

(AP) – A group that wants California to secede from the United States can start collecting signatures for its ballot initiative.

The state attorney general issued an official ballot measure title and summary Tuesday. The campaign can now start gathering the more than 585,000 signatures it will need to qualify for the 2018 ballot.

The initiative would form a commission to recommend avenues for California to pursue its independence and delete part of the state constitution that says it is an inseparable part of the U.S. The measure would also instruct the governor and California congressional delegation to negotiate more autonomy for the state.

This is the second attempt to put a so-called Calexit measure on the 2018 ballot. An earlier attempt was withdrawn in April.