Category: Ballot measures
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Campaign behind Michigan LGBTQ nondiscrimination initiative files signatures below requirement while challenging the requirement in court
Update: This article has been updated in response to Judge Stephens’ order extending the signature filing deadline for the campaign Fair and Equal Michigan. On May 26, the campaign Fair and Equal Michigan announced that they would file 177,865 signatures by the deadline on May 27, 2020, for a ballot initiative to add gender, sexual…
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Oregon Psilocybin Program Initiative and Drug Decriminalization and Addiction Treatment Initiative campaigns submit signatures ahead of July 2
On May 22, the Yes on IP 34 campaign, which is sponsoring the Oregon Psilocybin Program Initiative, submitted 135,000 signatures, and the Yes on IP 44 campaign, which is sponsoring the Drug Decriminalization and Addiction Treatment Initiative, submitted 147,000 signatures to the Oregon Secretary of State. Citizen initiative sponsors in Oregon need to collect 112,020…
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Missouri Medicaid Expansion Initiative certified for the ballot
On May 22, 2020, the Missouri Secretary of State issued a statement certifying the Missouri Medicaid Expansion Initiative for the ballot. This qualified the initiative for the November ballot unless the governor called for it to go on the August ballot by the May 26 deadline. On May 26, Governor Mike Parson (R) announced that…
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In November, Californians will decide whether app-based drivers should be classified as independent contractors
At the election on November 3, 2020, Californians will decide a ballot initiative that addresses whether app-based drivers should be classified as independent contractors. In September 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed AB 5, which established criteria to determine whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor. Uber, Lyft, and Doordash proposed a ballot…
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Portland voters approve income tax to fund homeless services and gas tax renewal
Voters in the Portland Metro area in Oregon approved Measure 26-210 on Tuesday, authorizing an income surtax and business tax to fund homeless services. The measure authorizes a 1% tax on household income above $200,000 and individual income above $150,000 and a 1% profit tax on businesses with gross receipts higher than $5 million. The…
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Puerto Rico to vote on statehood referendum at November general election
Puerto Rico will vote on a statehood referendum at the general election on November 3, 2020. The ballot measure will ask, “Should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted into the Union as a state?” Congress has jurisdiction over Puerto Rico and would decide if and how to respond to the election results. Should the ballot measure…
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Voters in Colorado, Maine, New Mexico, and New York to decide a combined $5.16 billion in bond issues in 2020
Seven bond issues (totaling $5.16 billion combined) are on the ballot for voters in Maine, on July 14, and Colorado, New Mexico, and New York on November 3. A bond issue is a measure placed on the ballot by the state or local government that asks voters to approve the issuance of bonds. A bond is…
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Four of five trustees up for recall in Idaho library district
A recall election seeking to remove four of the five trustees of the Priest Lake Library District board in Idaho is on the ballot on May 19, 2020. Trustees Debbie Sudnikovich, Laurel Smith, Nancy Bushman, and Lori McReynolds were targeted for recall after they voted to fire library director Beverly Richmond in a 4-1 vote…
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Voters in Lincoln and Omaha approve five local ballot measures on Tuesday according to unofficial results
Voters in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, approved five local ballot measures on May 12. Unofficial election results indicate that Omaha voters approved Question 1 and Question 2 with 72.86% and 64.70% of the vote, respectively. Question 1 authorized the city to issue $200 million in bonds to fund street maintenance, and Question 2 authorized the…
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Maryland Sports Betting Expansion Measure will appear on November ballots
The Maryland Sports Betting Expansion Measure, a legislatively referred state statute, was certified for the ballot on May 7. The ballot measure would authorize sports and events wagering at certain licensed facilities. The state revenue generated by such activities would be primarily dedicated to funding public education. On May 14, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court…