Author: Victoria Antram
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Judge rules against Missouri State Treasurer and allows the ballot language for Amendment 1 to stand
On Dec. 13, 2021, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled against a challenge brought by Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick (R) to the ballot language and summary of Missouri Amendment 1. The constitutional amendment would allow the state treasurer to invest state funds in highly rated municipal securities. It would also authorize the legislature…
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State signature deadline for Massachusetts 2022 initiatives was Wednesday
Three initiative campaigns submitted more than the required number of validated signatures (80,239) to the Massachusetts secretary of state on Dec. 1. This means that the initiatives will go to the Massachusetts General Court. If the general court does not enact the initiatives, a smaller second round of signatures will be required to put the…
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The city of Sacramento is in the final stages of redistricting after Measure B authorized a delay due to the pandemic
The Sacramento Independent Redistricting Commission is set to select its 2022 redistricting map on Dec. 8 with final adoption scheduled for Dec. 16. In November 2020, voters in Sacramento approved Measure B, which amended the city’s charter authorizing a one-time delay in the redistricting process. The amendment moved the deadline for map adoption to 130…
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Campaign behind initiative in Mass. to classify app-based drivers as independent contractors submits 260,000 signatures to county administrators
On Nov. 16, the Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work announced that they had submitted a total of 260,000 signatures to local clerks in their bid to place a ballot initiative on the 2022 ballot that was modeled after 2020’s California Proposition 22. The total number of signatures is split between two different versions of the…
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Ballotpedia tracked 12 police-related local ballot measures in 2021
Ballotpedia covered 12 local ballot measures concerning police policy in 2021. Six of those were decided on Nov. 2. According to unofficial election results, voters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, defeated an initiative that would have replaced the police department with a department of public safety in the city charter. The margin was 56.2% to 43.8%. Supporters…
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Texas voters approve all eight constitutional amendments
All eight constitutional amendments in Texas were approved on Tuesday. With 100% of precincts reporting, Proposition 1 was approved with 83.82% of the vote. The amendment authorizes professional sports team charitable foundations to conduct raffles at rodeo venues and includes professional association-sanctioned rodeos in the definition of a professional sports team. Proposition 2 was approved…
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Tucson voters approve increasing the local minimum wage to $15 by 2025
On Nov. 2, Tucson voters approved Proposition 206, an initiative designed to incrementally increase the local minimum wage to $15 by 2025, and tie it to inflation thereafter. According to unofficial election results, 65% of voters approved Proposition 206. Currently, the minimum wage is $12.15. The minimum wage will increase by the following increments: $13…
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Campaigns supporting and opposing Austin Proposition A report an additional $2 million in contributions
On Nov. 2, voters in Austin, Texas will decide on Proposition A, an initiative designed to enact changes to police staffing, training, and demographic representation. The initiative would establish minimum police staffing and require there to be at least two police officers for every 1,000 residents of Austin; add an additional 40 hours of police…
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Texas voters to decide on an increase to the homestead exemption from school district property taxes in May 2022
On Oct. 18, the Texas State Legislature voted to refer to the ballot a constitutional amendment that would increase the homestead exemption for school district property taxes from $25,000 to $40,000. Voters will decide the measure on the May 2022 ballot. It would take effect for the 2022 tax year. The Legislative Budget Board estimated…
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Arizona voters to decide local minimum wage increase, bond issues, school budget override, and charter amendments in November
Ballotpedia is covering 11 local ballot measures in Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, and Tucson on November 2, 2021. In Chandler, voters will decide five bond issues totaling $272,685,000: Question 1: Authorizes $72,985,000 in bonds to construct, improve, and acquire city parks and recreational facilities Question 2: Authorizes $25,160,000 in bonds to construct, renovate, and equip city…