Author: Jackie Mitchell
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North Carolina becomes seventh state to add citizenship requirement for voting amendment to Nov. ballot
Voters in North Carolina will join those in Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin in deciding a ballot measure to prohibit non-citizen voting. The ballot measures would amend language to their respective state constitutions to provide that only U.S. citizens can vote in elections. All seven ballot questions were placed on the Nov.…
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Montana campaign submits signatures for initiative to provide a constitutional right to abortion
In Montana, a campaign filed around 117,000 signatures on June 21, 2024, for a ballot initiative to provide for a state constitutional right to abortion. To qualify for the ballot, 60,359 valid signatures are required. County clerks have until July 19 to verify the signatures and submit them to the secretary of state’s office. The…
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Rhode Island enacts a readability requirement, an eighth-grade reading level, for ballot measure questions
In Rhode Island, a new law requires that ballot measure questions be written in plain language and reasonably calculated to be understood by those with an eighth-grade reading level. The bill was passed unanimously by the state legislature and signed into law by Gov. Daniel McKee (D) on June 4, 2024. Currently, five measures have…
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Montanans for Election Reform submit signatures for a pair of initiatives establishing a top-four primary system and majority vote requirement
Montanans for Election Reform submitted signatures on June 13 for a pair of initiatives that would amend the Montana Constitution to change the state’s electoral system. Initiative CI-126 would create a top-four primary system for elections for governor, lieutenant governor, state executives, state legislators, and congressional offices. Under the system, every candidate would run in…
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North Dakota becomes the first state to set age limits for congressional representatives after voters approve Measure 1
Voters in North Dakota approved Measure 1, a ballot initiative establishing an age limit for congressional candidates, at the election on June 11. The vote was 60.88%-39.12%, and turnout was 20.11%. Specifically, Measure 1 is designed to prohibit anyone from being elected or appointed to the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives if he or…
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Louisiana voters will decide on one constitutional amendment in November and four in December
The Louisiana State Legislature adjourned its 2024 legislative session on June 3. During the session, the state legislature referred one constitutional amendment to the Nov. 5 ballot and four amendments to the Dec. 7 ballot. A total of 42 proposed changes were considered by lawmakers this session. November 5: In November, voters will decide on…
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Brew: North Dakota voters to decide congressional age limit ballot measure on June 11
A citizen-initiated ballot measure to establish an age limit for congressional members, sponsored by Retire Congress North Dakota, is on the ballot in North Dakota’s primary election on June 11, 2024. The ballot initiative, which is the first of its kind, would prohibit a person from being elected or appointed to the U.S. Senate or…
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Oklahoma becomes sixth state to put a constitutional amendment on Nov. 2024 ballot providing that only U.S. citizens can vote in elections
Oklahoma voters will join Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, and Wisconsin voters in deciding on ballot questions to add language to their respective state constitutions to provide that only U.S. citizens can vote in elections. All six ballot questions were placed on the Nov. 2024 ballot by Republican-controlled state legislatures. Similar measures were on the…
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Louisiana state legislature refers two constitutional amendments to Dec. 7 ballot related to state legislative processes
The Louisiana State Legislature referred two constitutional amendments to the ballot that voters will decide on Dec. 7. Rep. Tony Bacala (R-59) sponsored both amendments, House Bill 48 and House Bill 49, in the State House. House Bill 48, passed unanimously by the legislature, would add a 48-hour waiting period before a concurrence vote on…
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Colorado voters to decide on constitutional right to abortion in Nov. 2024, joining Florida, Maryland, and South Dakota
Colorado is the fourth state set to vote on an abortion-related ballot measure in November. The initiative will be the 10th abortion-related measure to be decided by Colorado voters. Colorado has seen more abortion-related ballot measures than any other state. There have been nine on the ballot since the first in 1984, and this year…