Author: Victoria Antram
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The third California rent control initiative in four election cycles sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation qualifies for the 2024 ballot
On July 26, the California secretary of state announced the third rent control initiative sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in four election cycles had qualified for the Nov. 2024 ballot. Californians defeated the two other initiatives in 2018 and 2020. The 2024 initiative would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibits rent control…
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East Lansing, Michigan, voters to decide on three charter amendments in November, including one to move local elections from odd to even-numbered years
Voters in East Lansing, Michigan, will decide on three charter amendments in Nov. 2023, including one measure to move local elections from odd to even-numbered years. If voters approve the amendment, the 2025 election would move to 2026. In 2022, Ballotpedia tracked 13 local ballot measures that proposed moving local election dates from odd to…
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Texas voters will decide on a second homestead tax exemption increase in two years in November
On July 13, the Texas State Legislature finalized a constitutional amendment and adopted implementing legislation designed to lower property taxes before adjourning its second special legislative session of the year. The amendment, which voters will decide on in Nov., would: increase the homestead tax exemption from $40,000 to $100,000; authorize the state legislature to limit…
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Sponsors have filed 90 more ballot initiatives for elections in 2023 than the average number filed at this point in the last six odd-year numbered cycles
As of July 1, initiative sponsors have filed 262 citizen-initiated ballot measures for elections in 2023, which is 90 more than the average (172) of the last six odd-year numbered cycles (2011-2021). 2023 has the second-highest number behind 2021, which saw 293 initiatives filed by this same point in the cycle. Like the past six…
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Voters in seven states have decided on 10 affirmative action ballot measures
Voters in seven states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Washington — have decided on 10 ballot measures related to affirmative action policies. Of these 10 ballot measures, voters decided against certain affirmative action policies eight times, either enacting prohibitions or defeating measures that would have expanded the use of affirmative action. Twice…
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Statewide rent control initiative may be on California ballots for the third time in four election cycles
Justice for Renters, an initiative campaign sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), submitted signatures on June 20 to place an initiative on the Nov. 2024 ballot in California to prohibit the state from limiting local rent control measures. This would be the third rent control initiative sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in four…
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Six legislative referrals on statewide ballots in 2023 received unanimous support from both parties, an increase from 2021 and 2019 sessions
Twenty-nine (29) legislative referrals were certified for statewide ballots in 2023 as of Jun. 15. Of that total, six received unanimous support from both parties; six received unanimous support from only Republicans; and 10 received unanimous support from only Democrats, which is higher than 2021 (4) and 2019 (5). One measure in New York—where legislative…
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297 constitutional amendments were filed during the 2023 Texas legislative session with House Republicans filing the most
Of the 297 constitutional amendments filed during the 2023 regular session, 184 amendments (62%) were filed by Republican senators or representatives, and 113 (38%) by Democratic legislators. Compared to the 2021 regular legislative session, Republicans filed 58 more amendments in 2023, and Democrats filed an additional 21. Sen. Brian Birdwell (R-22) filed the most Republican-sponsored…
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Texas State Legislature sends 13 ballot measures to the November ballot during its regular session—the most since 2007
Texas voters will decide on 13 constitutional amendments this November—the most since 2007 when voters decided on 17 measures on two election dates. The average number of measures appearing on Texas odd-numbered-year ballots was 14 between 1985 and 2021. The year with the highest number of measures was 1987 with 25 on one election date.…
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Texans to decide constitutional amendment on cost-of-living adjustments for Teacher Retirement System in November
On May 25, the Texas Legislature took the final vote to send a constitutional amendment to the ballot that would authorize the legislature to provide for cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for certain annuitants, who meet criteria provided by law, of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. The amendment also authorizes the legislature to allocate money from…