Tag: weekly brew

North Dakota could become the 17th state to have a single-subject rule for ballot initiatives On June 9, North Dakota voters will decide on Constitutional Amendment 1, which would create a single-subject rule for future constitutional amendments. A single-subject rule requires ballot measures to address a single subject, topic, or issue. The amendment would also…

North Carolina voters to decide on two measures on property and income tax limits in November The General Assembly of North Carolina approved two constitutional amendments on property and income tax limits for the Nov. 3 ballot.  The first amendment, introduced as Senate Bill 1080 (SB 1080) on May 13, would prohibit raising the state…

Campaign behind initiative to criminalize hunting, fishing, and any intentional injury to animals in Oregon submits signatures for verification On May 20, the campaign behind a ballot initiative to criminalize hunting, fishing, and any intentional injury to animals in Oregon submitted more than 120,000 signatures to the Oregon Secretary of State for verification. While previous…

A closer look at state-level voting rights acts Since Congress passed the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA), prohibiting racial discrimination in voting nationwide, 10 states have passed state-level voting rights acts. The provisions of these laws vary, but they generally include policies that mirror or expand on the federal VRA. All states with VRAs had…

California ballot initiative proposed for 2028 to repeal the top-two primary system On May 8, Steve Maviglio, a Democratic political consultant and strategist known for his work on California ballot measure campaigns, filed an initiative for the 2028 ballot proposing to repeal the state’s top-two primary system. California adopted the system when voters approved Proposition…

Idaho initiative campaigns submit signatures for measures on abortion and medical marijuana On May 1, supporters of two Idaho initiatives that would add a right to reproductive freedom to state law and legalize medical marijuana submitted signatures to Idaho county clerks for placement on the Nov. 3 ballot.  Idaho has a Republican trifecta, meaning Republicans…

California will be the second state with a Democratic trifecta to vote on a voter ID ballot initiative California voters will decide on a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment that would require voter identification and establish new requirements for voter registration lists and citizenship verification, making it the second state with a Democratic trifecta to decide on…

California Secretary of State certifies first initiatives for the November 2026 ballot The California Secretary of State announced on April 21 that two ballot initiatives had qualified for the November ballot — the first initiatives to qualify this election cycle in California.  Two-Thirds Vote Requirement Initiative The Two-Thirds Vote Requirement for Special Taxes and Charter…

Four states have consolidated municipal or school board elections statewide since 2022 Each state has different rules for when general elections for municipal offices and school boards are held. Some states set a particular date for these elections, while others allow municipalities to choose their election days. Nine states mandate consolidated municipal elections, meaning municipal…

President Trump signs absentee/mail-in voting executive order On March 31, President Donald Trump (R) issued an executive order requiring the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to mail absentee/mail-in ballots only to an approved list of voters eligible to vote in federal elections. The order, entitled Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections, requires the U.S.…