Author: Victoria Antram
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2023 highest odd-year constitutional amendment election turnout in Texas in almost two decades
Texas registered voter turnout at the Nov. 7 constitutional amendment election was 14.4%—the highest since 2005 when it reached 18%. 2023 was six percentage points higher than 2021, which saw a turnout of 8.8%. This amounted to over a million more voters turning out for the election. Texas voters decided on 14 constitutional amendments on…
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Two 2024 ballot initiative campaigns report reaching the 25% signature threshold in California
The California secretary of state reported on Dec. 13 that two California ballot initiatives campaigns had collected at least 25% of the required number of signatures needed to qualify for the ballot in 2024. Protect Patients Now, sponsored by the California Apartment Association, is gathering signatures for an initiated state statute to require healthcare providers…
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Oregon ballot initiative filed to require gas pump attendants after state legislature repealed ban on self-serve gas in August
Two versions of an initiative to require gas pump attendants in Oregon were filed in October and November. United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555 filed the initiated state statutes. To qualify for the 2024 ballot, proponents need to collect 117,173 valid signatures by July 5, 2024. Michael Selvaggio, political director for UFCW Local…
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Massachusetts ballot initiative campaigns related to education, psychedelics, tipped workers, app-based drivers, and state auditor responsibilities file signatures with local clerks for the 2024 ballot
Massachusetts ballot initiative campaigns related to education, psychedelics, tipped workers, app-based drivers, and state auditor responsibilities filed signatures with local clerks for the 2024 ballot. The deadline to file signatures with local clerks in order to qualify for the 2024 ballot was Nov. 22. Several campaigns related to education, psychedelics, tipped workers, app-based drivers, and…
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Seven local jurisdictions voted on ranked-choice voting measures in 2023
In 2023, seven local jurisdictions voted on local ballot measures to adopt or repeal ranked-choice voting, which is the second-highest number of measures in a year behind 2022 which had nine. Voters in East Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Royal Oak, Michigan, approved measures on Nov. 7 to adopt ranked-choice voting for local offices. The voting system…
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Wisconsin to vote on prohibiting private funds in elections and a second question related to election officials at the April primary election
The Wisconsin State Legislature voted to send one constitutional amendment as two ballot questions to the April 2, 2024, ballot. The first question asks voters to prohibit governments from applying or accepting non-governmental funds or equipment for the administration of any primary, election, or referendum. The second question asks voters to provide that only election…
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Wisconsin could become the eighth state to add language to its state constitution authorizing “only” United States citizens to vote in elections
The Wisconsin State Legislature took the final vote on Nov. 9 to send a constitutional amendment to the Nov. 2024 ballot that would add language to the state constitution to provide that only U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or older can vote in federal, state, local, or school elections. Currently, the constitution says,…
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Seven states have banned foreign spending in ballot measure elections. Maine voters will decide the issue with Question 2 on Nov. 7.
In Maine, voters will decide on Question 2 on Nov. 7. Question 2, a citizen-initiated statute, would prohibit foreign governments, or entities with at least 5% foreign government ownership or control, from spending money to influence ballot measures or candidate elections. Federal law currently prohibits contributions, donations, expenditures (including independent expenditures), and disbursements by foreign…
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2023 statewide ballot measures written at graduate school reading level
The ballot language for the 41 statewide ballot measures on the ballot in eight states in 2023 is written at an average reading level of 19 (third-year graduate school reading level), which is up from 18 years in 2021. Ballotpedia identified five measures with a ballot summary, which is longer than the ballot title or…
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Maine Question 2 addresses foreign spending in elections. What is the history of the topic in Maine?
On Nov. 7, Maine voters will decide on Question 2, a ballot initiative to prohibit foreign governments, or entities with at least 5% foreign government ownership or control, from spending money to influence ballot measures or candidate elections. The issue of foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns was discussed during the 2021 election cycle when…