Category: Ballot measures
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About 1.7 million signatures filed for second version of California split roll tax initiative
On April 2, 2020, the campaign Schools and Communities First reported filing 1.7 million signatures for a ballot initiative to require commercial and industrial properties, except those zoned as commercial agriculture, to be taxed based on their market value, rather than their purchase price. At least 997,139 signatures need to be valid. The ballot initiative…
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Two recall elections on the ballot in Elizabeth, Colorado
Recall elections against Mayor Megan Vasquez and trustee Tammy Payne are taking place on April 7 in Elizabeth, Colorado. Vasquez, Payne, and five other trustees were targeted for recall in August 2019. Trustees June Jurczewsky and Rachel White were removed from their positions as a result of recall elections on December 17, 2019. Recall elections…
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Arizona ballot initiative campaigns ask state Supreme Court to allow electronic signatures due to coronavirus pandemic
On April 2, 2020, four ballot initiative campaigns filed a petition asking the Arizona Supreme Court to allow the campaigns to gather signatures through E-Qual, which is the state’s online signature collection platform, during the coronavirus pandemic. E-Qual is available for federal, statewide, and legislative candidates but not ballot initiatives. The legal petition stated, “The…
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Vice President Joe Biden endorses Milwaukee Public Schools Revenue Limit Increase Measure
On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden voiced his support for the Milwaukee Public Schools Revenue Limit Increase Measure that will appear on April 7 ballots. Biden said the measure “will give public school educators the tools they need to help our students succeed – and they’ll allow us to invest in 21st-century facilities and technology…
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Three measures are set to appear on South Dakota’s 2020 ballot
Two citizen initiatives and one legislatively referred constitutional amendment will appear on the November ballot in South Dakota. The signature deadline for ballot measures targeting the 2020 ballot in South Dakota passed on November 3, 2019. The South Dakota State Legislature, which can refer measures to the ballot, adjourned on March 30, 2020. The two citizen…
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Campaign backed by Uber, Lyft, Instacart, and others files signatures for California ballot initiative to define app-based drivers as independent contractors and enact regulations
Californians could decide whether app-based drivers should be classified as independent contractors in November. On March 27, the campaign Protect App-Based Drivers & Services filed more than 1 million signatures with local election officials for the ballot measure. Counties have eight working days to count signatures followed by 30 working days to conduct a random…
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Arizona campaign finance initiative campaign suspends signature gathering
Former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, co-chair of the campaign Outlaw Dirty Money, announced that the campaign was suspending signature gathering efforts for its ballot initiative due to the coronavirus pandemic. The campaign needs to gather at least 356,467 signatures by the July 2 deadline. The ballot initiative would add language to the Arizona Constitution…
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Effort to recall Colorado sheriff submits signatures
An effort to recall Lance FitzGerald from his position as Ouray County Sheriff in Colorado submitted 1,082 petition signatures in March 2020. Recall supporters had 60 days to collect 768 signatures from eligible Ouray County voters. If enough signatures are deemed valid, a recall election will be scheduled. The recall effort began in January 2020.…
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Initiative to eliminate property taxes in North Dakota approved for signature gathering
An initiative to amend the North Dakota Constitution to eliminate property taxes was approved for signature gathering on March 25. The initiative was filed by North Dakota Republican Representative Rick Becker. To qualify for the November ballot, 26,904 valid signatures are due before midnight on July 6, 2020. Becker, who estimated that North Dakota collects…
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Oregon Drug Decriminalization and Addiction Treatment Initiative suspends in-person signature gathering
Yes on IP 44, which is sponsoring the Oregon Drug Decriminalization and Addiction Treatment Initiative, suspended in-person signature gathering on March 26. The campaign announced on March 5 that they had collected 125,000 signatures but still needed 8,000 more signatures to meet their raw signature goal. A total of 112,020 valid signatures are required to…