BART rescue measure easily clears signature hurdle: Next stop, November ballot.

A five-county effort to place a BART rescue measure on the November ballot cleared its signature requirement well above the target. The group needed about 186,000 signatures by June 3 to qualify, and collected around 305,000, providing enough margin to avoid disqualification from invalid or duplicate signatures. The measure would offer an estimated $310 million for BART and other regional transit agencies. With BART facing a looming $376 million deficit, the funding is expected to prevent major service reductions, reduced maintenance and cleaning, or even the possibility of folding. Transit workers and enthusiasts gathered far more signatures than expected, and the campaign will now raise funds and campaign for voter approval across the five counties.

"The group Connect Bay Area had until June 3 to collect around 186,000 signatures to qualify a measure that will provide a financial lifeline for BART and other area transit agencies for the November ballot. It ended up with around 305,000 - easily enough to avoid being disqualified by the odd bogus signature or duplication."

"Barring unforeseen lunacy, Bay Area voters will this year have the opportunity to vote yea or nay on a sales tax that could provide an estimated $310 million for BART. Considering the transit agency is facing a looming $376 million deficit, the cash transfusion is expected to prevent BART from drastically reduced schedules, maintenance and cleanings - or even, in a realistic worst-case scenario, folding altogether."

"Transit workers and enthusiasts, gathering signatures on their own time, had an outsized impact: The campaign expected they would bring in some 28,000 signatures. They brought in near triple that - 77,000. While signature-gatherers received a notably cold shoulder from passengers on transit, they evidently had better luck elsewhere at farmers markets, No Kings rallies, Giants games and the Hunky Jesus contest."

"Once the signatures are ratified, the next move is to fund-raise and campaign for the actual measure. To pass, the measure only needs a majority of votes across the five counties - San Francisco, Alameda, Cont"

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