R-71 signature checkers. Image from the Secretary of State’s office.Yesterday, I ripped on the organizers of R-71 (the anti-gay rights measure to subject the signed law on domestic partnership rights to a public vote) for accusing the Secretary of State of caving to the “homosexual lobby” in its counting of petition signatures to get the measure on the ballot. The measure seemed “exceedingly likely” to make the ballot, I wrote, so it was funny that its organizers saw the natural rise in the error rate (a result of more duplicate signatures being found as the count proceeded) as a sign of conspiracy.Well, the “homosexual agenda” conspiracy theories remain wacky as ever–the signature check is being observed by the measure’s organizers and their opponents. (The Secretary of State’s office defends itself here.) But it looks like the measure’s supporters may have been onto something with the count: The last two batches of numbers show the measure slipping considerably–though it still looks likely to make the ballot. Its error rate has now inched up to 11.67% and can’t go over 12.42%, or the measure won’t qualify. About 60,000 ballots remain to be counted. In the end, it’ll likely be quite close–and will doubtless trigger lawsuits. Here’s hoping it fails to make the ballot by the number of signatures that would have been on this petition.