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Organization concerned signatures against ordinance aren't all legit

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A petition to pull back Jackson's non-discrimination order was turned in today with more than "600" signatures.

But some are concerned about the way the group behind it may have gotten them.

The organization Jackson Together says people who signed it were misled.

Elody Samuelson says petitioners against the non-discrimination ordinance showed up at her house late February asking her:

"Was I familiar with the ordinance that just passed?" Samuelson said.

She was.

It means you can't be fired or kicked out of your apartment based off your sexual preferences.

It doesn't mention bathrooms but Samuelson says the petitioner told her businesses would have to build unisex bathrooms.

"And when I pointed out to her specifically that there was nothing regarding bathrooms in the ordinance, she was trying to interpret it on her own," Samuelson.

Samuelson says she thinks the petitioners were taking advantage of people who didn't understand the ordinance leading to more signatures.

"Unfortunately I think there's a lot of people who wouldn't know to question it. And I think it was very misleading," Samuelson said.

Father Timothy Nelson is a spokesperson for the petition. He says the petitioners had copies of the ordinance with them so there shouldn't have been any confusion or misleading facts.

"I think the people who signed the petitions were intelligent people, they were aware of what they were doing and signed them in good faith," Father Nelson said.

Jackson Together says it also heard of petitioners fabricating the facts. Like an incident where it says a woman signed the petition thinking it was pro ordinance. That's why it’s asking the city clerk to look deeper into the issue.

Father Nelsons says he hasn't heard of any foul play like that but if it did happen:

"The person could always contact the person who did circulate the petition and ask them to cross off their name," Father Nelson said.