Category: Ballot measures
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Update on this year’s and next year’s ballot measure certifications
As of Feb. 7, 2023, five statewide measures have been certified for the ballot in three states for elections in 2023. That’s the same as the average number certified at this point in other odd-numbered years from 2011 to 2021. For 2024, 10 statewide measures have been certified in four states. That’s four more than…
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California voters will decide on a veto referendum to repeal an oil and gas regulation law in 2024
The California secretary of state announced that a veto referendum seeking to repeal Senate Bill 1137 (SB 1137) had qualified for the 2024 ballot on Feb. 3. If upheld by voters, SB 1137 would require all oil or gas production facilities or wells within a health protection zone to comply with new regulations. Health protection…
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Missouri House approves 60% vote requirement for constitutional amendments
On Feb. 2, 2023, the Missouri House of Representatives voted 108-50 for a constitutional amendment to require a 60% vote requirement for referred and citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. The amendment is titled House Joint Resolution 43 (HJR 43). Of the 108 members who voted for HJR 43, 107 were Republicans and one was a Democrat. Fifty…
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$20 million raised for Florida marijuana legalization initiative targeting 2024 ballot
In Florida, a campaign supporting a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana, Smart and Safe Florida, has raised $20 million. Funding is from Trulieve Cannabis Corp., a marijuana business that operates in several states, including Florida. The campaign is collecting signatures to place the initiative on the ballot for Nov. 5, 2024. The initiative would legalize…
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Initiative to increase the vote threshold for new or increased taxes in California qualifies for the 2024 ballot
An initiated constitutional amendment to increase the vote threshold for new or increased state and local taxes has qualified for the Nov. 2024 ballot in California. On Feb. 2, the secretary of state reported that after a full check of signatures, the campaign had submitted 1,075,585 valid signatures exceeding the 997,139 valid signatures required to…
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Citizen initiative related to government borrowing for state entities and electric cooperatives certified to the legislature in Maine
On Jan. 26, 2023, the Maine secretary of state announced that enough valid signatures were submitted for an initiative that would require voter approval of borrowing above $1 billion by state entities and electric cooperatives. The initiative is now certified to the Maine State Legislature. If the Legislature does not approve the initiative, it would…
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Voters in Burlington, Vermont, to decide on ballot measures related to policing, ranked-choice voting, noncitizen voting, and more
On March 7, 2023, voters in Burlington, Vermont, will decide on at least seven ballot measures—five of which were placed on the ballot by the Burlington City Council, and two which were placed on the ballot by citizen initiative. The council-referred measures are as follows: A charter amendment that would allow non-citizens who are legal…
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Pennsylvania House adjourns, package of constitutional amendments won’t appear on the May ballot
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives adjourned on January 24, 2023, affecting a package of three constitutional amendments that could have appeared on ballot for May 16, 2023. According to the Department of State, the Pennsylvania General Assembly needed to have the amendments passed by Friday, January 27, to appear on the May ballot. The deadline…
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Amendment prohibiting denial of rights based on sex, reproductive healthcare, and other classes certified for the New York ballot
The New York legislature passed a constitutional amendment on Tuesday, Jan. 24, that would prohibit the denial of rights to an individual based on ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, reproductive status, and other characteristics. By passing this measure, the amendment was certified for the ballot in New York. It will go to voters on November…
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California voters will decide on a referendum to repeal a law governing fast-food working conditions in 2024
On Jan. 24, the California secretary of state announced that a veto referendum filed to repeal Assembly Bill 257 (AB 257) had qualified for the November 2024 ballot. AB 257 would enact the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (FAST Recovery Act), which was passed along party lines and signed into law on Sept.…