Category: Ballot measures
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California ballot initiative campaigns are in the final weeks of their signature drives and face the effects of coronavirus
California is under a shelter-in-place order due to the coronavirus pandemic, but several ballot initiative campaigns are in the final days or weeks of their signature drives. As of March 23, four citizen-initiated measures have qualified to appear on the ballot in November. An additional nine ballot initiative could receive enough signatures to appear on…
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New Mexico voters will decide bond package at November ballot that would fund senior citizen facilities, public libraries, and education
A bond package containing three separate bond issues was signed by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) and certified for the ballot on March 11, 2020. The bond package was introduced on January 29, 2020, as Senate Bill 207. To put a bond question before voters, a simple majority is required in both the…
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Maine voters will decide two bond measures, totaling $120 million, on June 9
The election on June 9, 2020, will feature two statewide bond measures in Maine. Legislators passed the bond measures on March 17, and Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed the legislation on March 18. A two-thirds vote was needed in each legislative chamber. The first bond measure would authorize $105 million in bonds for transportation infrastructure…
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Maryland Legislature refers constitutional amendment to 2020 ballot concerning the legislature’s power over the state budget
Maryland Legislative Authority over State Budget Amendment would authorize the Maryland General Assembly to increase, decrease, or add items to the state budget as long as such changes do not make the budget exceed the total proposed budget submitted by the governor. The amendment is the first measure certified to appear on the statewide ballot…
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Recall effort rejected in Bell Gardens, California
An effort to recall Mayor Alejandra Cortez and city council members Pedro Aceituno and Marco Barcena in Bell Gardens, California, was rejected by the city clerk. Recall organizers submitted notices of intent to recall in late February. The notices were rejected on the grounds that they did not include Section 11023 of the Elections Code,…
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Signature deadline for citizen initiatives in Idaho is May 1; two campaigns have suspended signature drives due to coronavirus
Signatures for citizen initiative petitions in Idaho are due on May 1, 2020. To qualify for the November ballot, 55,057 valid signatures are required. As of March 19, 2020, three citizen initiatives were cleared to gather signatures targeting the 2020 ballot in Idaho. The Idaho Minimum Wage Increase Initiative was designed to increase the minimum…
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A preview of local charter amendments, school bonds, and taxes that were scheduled for the March 17 ballot in Ohio
Voters in Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, and Hamilton County were scheduled to decide eight local ballot measures on March 17, 2020. On March 16, 2020, Ohio Governor Mark DeWine announced that polls would be closed on March 17, 2020, by the order of the state department of health due to the coronavirus. In-person voting was postponed…
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Chandler voters approve Proposition 426
Proposition 426 amended the city’s charter to say that primary, regular, and special elections may be held on election dates authorized by state law. Before the election, the city charter said the municipal primary election shall be held on the 10th Tuesday before the general election. According to election night results, 92% of voters were…
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Utah residents set to vote on seven constitutional amendments in November
The Utah Legislature passed three constitutional amendments on Wednesday, bringing the total amendments set to appear on the Utah 2020 ballot to seven. The 2020 legislative session was set to adjourn on Thursday, March 12, 2020. The Legislature also referred four amendments to the ballot during the 2019 legislative session. Below are summaries of the…
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California Proposition 13 is the first statewide school bond rejected by voters since 1994
On March 3, Californians voted on one statewide ballot measure, Proposition 13, which would have issued $15 billion in general obligation bonds for preschool, K-12, and higher education facilities. The ballot measure would have also made changes to the formula used to distribute state bond funds to schools, the rules governing local bond measures, and…