HELENA -- Gov. Brian Schweitzer and others turned in the last of 37,000 signatures Wednesday aimed at putting on the November ballot an initiative to forbid state elected officials and their top aides from becoming lobbyists for two years after leaving office.

"Public service is not about using your influence to line your pockets when you leave office,'' Schweitzer said. "The people of Montana deserve better from their elected officials. They have a right to clean government.''

Schweitzer, the first person to sign Initiative 153, dropped off the final batch of signatures to the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse.

Local election officials must verify that the people signing the petitions are registered voters in Montana.

To qualify for the ballot, an initiative like I-153 needs at least 22,308 signatures, including at least 5 percent of the voters in at least 34 of the 100 state House districts.

I-153 backers said they secured some 37,000 signatures, including enough to qualify in 47 districts.

Schweitzer came up with the ballot measure after the 2005 Legislature killed his bill that would have imposed the same restrictions.

Under the proposal, state elected officials and their personal staff, legislators and, appointed state officials would have a two-year "cooling-off'' period before they could join the ranks of lobbyists.

Backers have said passage of I-153 would give Montana the toughest revolving-door statue in the country.

"It's time to get the people back into politics, and the lobbyists out,'' said Jim Farrell, executive director o the Montana Democratic Party. "Democrats and citizens across the state have long supported ethical government, and we're delivering reform for the people of Montana.''

Farrell said in Washington, D.C., and Montana, it is common for officials to give sweetheart deals to special interests. leave office and accept high-paying jobs with the same industry.

Besides the Montana Democratic Party, others endorsing I-153 are Common Cause and the Montana Public Interest Research Group.

So far, no organized opposition has surfaced.