Author: Josh Altic
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Approval rates of local bond and tax measures in California’s March 3 election lowest in at least a decade
On March 3, California voters decided 292 local ballot measures. According to results available Monday evening, at least 111 were approved, at least 146 were defeated, and the remaining measures were too close to call because of the number of ballots left to be processed. Of the 292 total local measures, 236 (81%) were bond…
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Voters in Forsyth County, North Carolina, approve 0.25% sales tax
Voters approved a quarter-cent Forsyth County sales tax increase on Tuesday by a vote of 60% to 40% according to unofficial election night results. The measure will increase the total sales tax rate in the county from 6.75% to 7%. North Carolina state law does not permit the purpose of a sales tax measure to…
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San Francisco voters approved Proposition E
In San Francisco, voters approved four measures on Tuesday. The fifth, Proposition D, is too close to call with certainty, but was ahead 68% to 32% and needs 66.67% to pass. Proposition E, the City Office Development Limit Initiative, was the only citizen-initiated measure on the ballot. Proposition E was approved by 55% of voters.…
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On Tuesday, 52.8% of voters in Oklahoma City rejected a proposed 0.125% sales tax to fund city parks. The measure was put on the ballot through a citizen initiative petition drive. It would have increased the total sales tax rate in the city from 8.625% to 8.75%. City officials estimated that the proposed 0.125% tax…
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Los Angeles County Measure R approved
Los Angeles County voters approved Measure R on Tuesday 70% to 30% according to unofficial election night results. The measure was put on the ballot through a successful initiative petition campaign that submitted 247,000 signatures to the county clerk. Measure R tasks the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission with developing a plan designed to reduce the…
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Voters in Lincoln Public Schools approve $290 million bond
On Tuesday, Lincoln Public Schools, Nebraska voters approved a bond proposition 62% to 38%, authorizing $290 million for projects including the construction of two high schools and an elementary school, improvements and repairs of Park Middle School and Everett Elementary School, and capital improvements to other district facilities. Turnout was 34% for the all-mail election.…
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Judge strikes down South Dakota initiative petition circulator disclosure requirement
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann ruled that South Dakota House Bill 1094 violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The bill was designed to do the following: • require a paid petition circulator to register with the secretary of state and provide certain information; • establish a paid petition circulator registration fee…
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Ballotpedia’s annual minimum wage increase report: 24 states and D.C. will increase their minimum wages in 2020
Twenty-four states and Washington, D.C. will increase their minimum wages in 2020. The increases range from between $0.10 per hour in Florida to $1.50 per hour in New Mexico, Washington, and New York City for certain employees. In New York and Oregon, state laws provide for regional minimum wages. Eight minimum wages will increase due…
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Ballotpedia releases its year-end state ballot measure analysis with statistical summaries, campaign finance analysis, readability analysis, historical context, and more
Thirty-six statewide ballot measures were on ballots in eight states in 2019. Four were decided at pre-November elections, and 32 were on ballots for November elections. Of the 36, 22 measures were approved by voters, and 14 were defeated. As of December 2019, the outcome of one of those measures—the Pennsylvania Marsy’s Law Amendment—was pending…
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Ballotpedia releases its year-end state ballot measure analysis with statistical summaries, campaign finance analysis, readability analysis, historical context, and more
A total of 36 statewide ballot measures were on 2019 ballots in eight states. Of those, four were decided at pre-November elections, and 32 statewide measures were on ballots for the November election in seven states. Of the total, 22 statewide measures were approved by voters, and 14 were defeated. As of December 2019,…