Welcome to the Monday, Aug. 18, Brew.
By: Briana Ryan
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Nationwide mail-in ballot rejection rate was 1.2% in 2024, higher than in 2016 and 2020
- California legislature reconvenes Aug. 18 with redistricting proposal on the agenda
- Did you know that South Dakota was the first state to adopt a constitutional amendment creating an initiative and referendum process?
Nationwide mail-in ballot rejection rate was 1.2% in 2024, higher than in 2016 and 2020
On June 30, the Election Assistance Commission released the 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey results. According to the commission’s press release, the report “covers topics such as voter participation, voter registration, voter list maintenance, and election technology, as well as early and Election Day polling place operations for the general election.”
Today, we’ll analyze the survey’s reporting on rejected mail-in ballots across all 50 states and U.S. territories in 2024 and compare these figures to previous elections.
2024 had the second-most mail-in ballots cast nationwide, behind only 2020. In terms of raw numbers, 2024 had more ballots rejected than any election going back to 2016. The rejection rate of 1.2% is higher than in the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections. However, the 2024 rejection rate is lower than that of the 2018 and 2022 midterm elections.
Arkansas (8.8%), Delaware (5.1%), and Oklahoma (4.3%) had the highest rejection rates in 2024. Arkansas also had the highest rejection rate in 2020, with 6.4%. The three states with the lowest rejection rates were Vermont, Maine, and Indiana, with 0.2% each.
Of the states decided within five percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, Arizona had the lowest rejection rate at 0.9%, the 28th highest nationwide, and Michigan had the highest rejection rate at 3.1%, the sixth-highest nationwide.
The most common reason ballots were rejected in 2024 was non-matching signatures, which accounted for 40.7% of rejected ballots.
Click here to view our full analysis of rejected ballots in 2024.
California Legislature reconvenes Aug. 18 with redistricting proposal on the agenda
Today, Aug. 18, the California Legislature reconvenes following its summer recess to consider Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) proposed constitutional amendment and legislative package, which would temporarily change the state’s congressional redistricting process.
According to a press release, the legislative package will include:
- A bill calling for a special election on Nov. 4, 2025, for voters to decide on a constitutional amendment adopting a new congressional map that would be effective if other states redraw their congressional maps. The California secretary of state’s office said the deadline for legislators to call a special election is Aug. 22.
- A bill establishing a new congressional map for California’s 2026, 2028, and 2030 U.S. House of Representatives elections.
- A bill reimbursing counties for the cost of administering the special election.
After the 2030 census, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRC) would resume its role in drawing congressional maps. California is one of nine states that has an independent redistricting commission. In 2010, voters approved Proposition 20, which created the 14-member commission, 61% to 39%.
In December 2021, the CCRC—which includes five Democrats, five Republicans, and four independents—voted unanimously to approve the existing map. Currently, Democrats represent 43 of the state’s 52 U.S. House districts.
On Aug. 8, Newsom described the redistricting plans as “emergency measures to respond to what’s happening in Texas.”
On July 21, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called a special legislative session to address multiple topics, including redrawing the state’s congressional districts. Texas is one of 33 states where the state’s legislature has the power to draw congressional districts.
On Aug. 3, Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives left the state to prevent changes to the state’s congressional maps. On Aug. 12, the Texas Senate passed a new congressional map, but the state House cannot vote on it without a quorum. State House Minority Leader Gene Wu (D) said the Democratic members will return to the state after the original special session ends. Abbott has said he will call a second special session.
Republicans have a 219-212 majority with four vacancies in the U.S. House. Three of those vacancies happened due to the deaths of three Democrats, and another happened due to the resignation of one Republican.
The Associated Press’ Meg Kinnard and Joey Cappelletti wrote that heading into the midterms, “Democrats see retaking the House as the party’s best chance to break Republicans’ hold on Congress and President Donald Trump is determined to keep the GOP’s majority.”
In total, we’re following nine states considering voluntary redistricting before the 2026 midterm elections. Of those states, California, Florida, and Texas have taken official action toward congressional redistricting.
California law requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That’s 54 votes in the California Assembly and 27 in the California Senate. Currently, Democrats have a 60-19 majority in the state Assembly and a 30-10 majority in the state Senate.
State law also requires the Legislature to vote on any legislatively referred constitutional amendment at least 131 days before the election. So, the Legislature will also need to amend this rule.
California voters last decided on statewide ballot measures in an odd-numbered year in 2009. State law limits citizen initiatives to even-numbered-year general elections in November but allows the Legislature to call for special elections for legislatively referred measures.
From 1983 to 2024, there were 15 ballot measures to create non-politician redistricting commissions in 10 states. Voters approved 10 and defeated five. Most recently, in 2024, Ohio voters defeated a commission proposal, Issue 1, 54% to 46%.
There has been at least one ballot measure to repeal a non-politician redistricting commission. In 2010, voters in California rejected Proposition 27, which would have eliminated the state’s Citizens Redistricting Commission. It was defeated with 59% of voters opposing it.
Click here to learn more about mid-decade redistricting.
Did you know that South Dakota was the first state to adopt a constitutional amendment creating an initiative and referendum process?
The initiative and referendum process refers to two types of citizen-initiated ballot measures: ballot initiatives, which allow citizens to collect signatures to place a new statute or constitutional amendment on the ballot, and veto referendums, which allow citizens to collect signatures to ask voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law. South Dakota residents approved a constitutional amendment providing for an initiative and referendum process 59% to 41% in 1898.
Since then, 25 other states have passed similar amendments. Most of these originated in the progressive and populist movements of the 1890s to 1920s. The most recent state to allow for the ballot initiative process was Mississippi, where voters approved Amendment 8 70% to 30% in 1992.
Click here to explore the history of which states have adopted constitutional amendments for citizen-initiated ballot measures.