Final answer:
The number of signatures required to place an initiative on the ballot would double if the number of votes in the gubernatorial election increased from 10 million to 20 million, reflecting the percentage basis of signature requirements in relation to past election votes. For example, in California, the requirement would rise to 1 million for laws and 1.6 million for amendments, presenting a greater challenge for organizers to collect these signatures within a limited time frame.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the number of votes cast for governor in consecutive gubernatorial elections increased from 10 million to 20 million, the number of signatures required to place an initiative on the ballot in the next election would also increase. This is because the requirement is often based on a percentage of the number of votes from the past election. In California, as an example, the number of signatures needed is 5 percent for a law and 8 percent for a constitutional amendment of the votes in the last gubernatorial election. Therefore, if 20 million votes were cast in the most recent election, the new requirement for signatures would be 1 million for a law (5 percent of 20 million) and 1.6 million for an amendment (8 percent of 20 million).
Organizers have a specific time frame in which to collect these signatures, and therefore the increase in required signatures presents a larger challenge for them. They must gather the needed number of signatures within this time frame for the initiative to qualify for the ballot. Moreover, signature collection can be influenced by special interests with the financial resources to support such endeavors, aiding in the collection process.