Ohio Issue 1 would make several changes to the state’s citizen-initiated constitutional amendment process. These changes include requiring a 60% vote for amendments, increasing the signature distribution requirement, and eliminating the signature cure period. Yesterday, we reviewed one of these changes—the 60% vote threshold—within the context of other states and historical ballot measures. Today’s article…
The signature submission deadline for Initiatives to the People (ITP)—which is the name of direct ballot initiatives in Washington—passed on July 7, 2023. No campaigns submitted signatures. To qualify for the ballot, proponents would have needed to submit 324,516 valid signatures. A total of 70 ITPs were filed by five sponsors. The filed initiatives concerned…
Ohio could be the fourth state, following California, Michigan, and Vermont in 2022, to establish an explicit state constitutional right to abortion. On July 5, the campaign Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom submitted more than 710,131 signatures for a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment to provide that “every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s…
On Nov. 5, 2024, Oregon voters will decide on establishing a commission that would determine the salaries of certain public officials. The ballot measure, which passed the Oregon State Legislature on June 25, would amend the Oregon Constitution to establish the Independent Public Service Compensation Commission. The commission would decide the salaries of the governor,…
There’s one state where the legislature cannot impeach the governor — Oregon. That could change on Nov. 5, 2024, when voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to empower the Oregon State Legislature to impeach and remove elected state executives, including the governor. The constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds vote in the House to…
Since 2013, at least 38 state constitutional amendments related to parental rights have been introduced in state legislatures. From 2013 to 2021, there were between one and three amendments introduced each year. In 2022, there were four constitutional amendments introduced. In 2023, that number more than tripled, with 13 state constitutional amendments proposed in nine…
In Arizona, the state Legislature approved a constitutional amendment related to signature requirements for citizen-initiated measures on June 12, 2023. Voters will decide on the amendment at the election on Nov. 5, 2024. The measure would require a percentage of signatures from each legislative district to qualify a citizen initiative for the ballot. Currently, the…
In Arizona, the state Legislature approved a constitutional amendment related to the governor’s emergency powers on June 12, 2023. Voters will decide on the amendment at the election on Nov. 5, 2024. As of June 12, there were four statewide ballot measures certified in Arizona for 2024. These four measures are legislative referrals. One would…
The Louisiana State Legislature concluded its legislative session for 2023 on June 8. During this session, a total of seven constitutional amendments were passed, adding to the existing one that was referred to the 2023 ballot in the legislature’s 2022 session. Altogether, there will be eight amendments on the statewide ballot for 2023. Four amendments…
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.…