Organizers of an attempt to put the DREAM Act on the ballot in 2012 say they're confident they'll have enough signatures.
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The petition drive has netted 25,000 signatures from people who want the chance to vote on whether illegal immigrants should be allowed to pay in-state rates for college tuition, said Del. Neil Parrott, a Hagerstown Republican leading the effort.
"We're very encouraged with where we are in the process right now," Parrott said Tuesday.
Parrott and his supporters need to have 18,579 signatures from valid Maryland voters by midnight on Tuesday to keep the referendum drive alive. They need to have a total of 55,736 signatures by the end of June.
Parrott said he hopes to get 10,000 more signatures by Tuesday for a total of 35,000, because he anticipates many will be declared invalid by elections officials.
"We're very, very happy with where we are right now, but we have a lot of work to do before next week," Parrott said.
State delegates and senators approved the tuition measure during the recent 90-day General Assembly session.
It was one of the most controversial bills of the session, spurring hours of passionate and sometimes tearful debate.
The bill allows students who are not here legally to pay the same rate for college tuition as documented Maryland residents.
First, they'd be eligible for in-state tuition at community colleges. Later, if they transfer, they would be eligible for such rates at four-year state colleges and universities.
There are hurdles for the students, such as having to prove that during their high school years their parents paid taxes in Maryland.
Supporters of the DREAM Act, including Gov. Martin O'Malley, said the bill gives more young people the opportunity to get an education, creating a more qualified work force.
Opponents raised concerns about the cost as well as the ethics of giving noncitizens some of the same privileges as citizens.
Referendum supporters have fanned out across the state gathering signatures at parades, festivals and other public events.
They've also used a website, www.mdpetitions.com, that allows people to download their own petition sheets.
On Tuesday, the referendum supporters will turn in the signatures to the secretary of state, who will hand them to the state Board of Elections. The signature sheets will be sent to county elections officials for verification. The county boards have 20 days to verify or reject the signatures.
"We're taking a wait-and-see approach. We do want to see what they turn in," said Helen Melton, an advocacy specialist with immigration-rights group Casa de Maryland.
During the General Assembly session, Casa shuttled young immigrant students to Annapolis to show their support for the DREAM Act.
Melton said Casa's lawyers will follow the verification process. The group also will continue to try to spread the word about what it sees as the benefits of the DREAM Act.
"A lot of Marylanders, given the proper and right information, would keep this law in place" if it ends up on the ballot, Melton said.
Parrott said he's ready for any legal challenges.
"They're going to do everything they can to not allow the citizens of Maryland to vote on this important issue," he said.
