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The only weekly wrap-up of ballot measure news in the progressive community.
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Initiated Statutes and Amendments
Initiated Statutes Only
Initiated Amendments Only
News
10/13/2022
BISC to Host Pre-Election Press Briefing on Ballot Measures on October 20, 2022
read more09/21/2022
Ballot Initiatives in Five States Would Abolish Slavery from State Constitutions
read more06/24/2022
With Roe Overturned, Ballot Initiatives Provide a Path Towards Reproductive Freedom
read more05/10/2022
California, Maine, New York, and Colorado Join the List of States Working to Protect Abortion Access Through Ballot Measures
read more05/03/2022
With SCOTUS Poised to Overturn Roe, Ballot Initiatives Offer Path to Protect Abortion Access
read more04/26/2022
BISC’S ROAD AHEAD ‘22 CONFERENCE ENVISIONS A WORLD WHERE “PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER JUST SURVIVING, THEY ARE THRIVING”
read more04/08/2022
Joint Statement on the Failed Restoration of Mississippi’s Ballot Initiative Process
read more04/05/2022
ICYMI: Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Executive Director Chris Melody Fields Figueredo’s Democracy Docket Op-Ed on the Importance of Ballot Measures
read more10/14/2021
The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Launches Multi-Year National Defend Direct Democracy Campaign to Protect Ballot Measures Across the Country
read more06/28/2021
BISC’s Executive Director, Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Speaks on Her 3 Year BISCiversary
read more04/20/2021
BISC Releases Statement on the Verdict in Derek Chauvin’s Trial for the Murder of George Floyd
read more01/13/2021
White Supremacy is America’s Greatest Threat: A Letter from BISC’s Executive Director
read more11/23/2020
BISC + Partners Release Executive Directors of Color Video: Relationships and Resilience Collective
read more09/19/2020
THE BALLOT INITIATIVE STRATEGY CENTER MOURNS THE LOSS OF JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG
read more08/18/2020
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center releases statement recognizing the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment
read more08/05/2020
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center releases statement as Missouri becomes the 6th state expand Medicaid through ballot measures
read more07/17/2020
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center releases statement following the Supreme Court’s decision to block hundreds of thousands of Floridians from voting this year
read more07/01/2020
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center releases statement following Oklahoma’s successful passage of Medicaid Expansion
read more06/19/2020
BISC releases statement on the importance of recognizing Juneteenth and Defending Black Lives
read more06/03/2020
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center releases statement recognizing Pride Month and the ongoing fight for equity and justice for all Americans
read more06/01/2020
BISC releases statement about the ongoing, state-sanctioned violence against the Black community
read more05/20/2020
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Releases Statement on Successful Portland Initiative to Fight Homelessness
read more06/18/2020
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center releases statement on SCOTUS’ DACA decision and rejection of the Trump administration’s racist agenda
read more
Thanks @TheBradBlog for having me to talk the attempts to undermine the #WillOfThePeople via limiting #DirectDemocracy. So much is at stake: wage increases, reproductive freedom, voting rights & more. https://twitter.com/TheBradBlog/status/1616851870697377797
GOP Targeting Direct Democracy After 2022 'Red' State Progressive Ballot Measure Successes: Latest #BradCast
Guest: Chris Melody @Fieldsy Figueredo of @BallotStrategy; Also: Trump sanctioned, ordered to pay Hillary, others nearly $1M
FULL STORY, LISTEN: https://bradblog.com/?p=14531
It’s baaaaack and it’s a big celebration! Along with Aquemini, Miseducation of Lauryn Hill & more, @BallotStrategy is turning 25! Come party in Vegas!
PS I’m also celebrating 5 years at BISC later this year too! https://twitter.com/BallotStrategy/status/1618288730032443393
It's official: #RoadAhead23 is back in Vegas this year from May 9-11! 🥳🥳🥳
Thank you so much, Andrea! We love having you there with us!
I can’t say enough good things about BISC. I went through their most intensive training a couple years ago and the Vegas conference last year. WOULD RECOMMEND! https://twitter.com/BallotStrategy/status/1618288730032443393
"This proposal is an assault on the rights of every Idaho citizen.
It’s an attempt to give Idaho the most restrictive signature-gathering rules in the nation and to guarantee that no grassroots initiative ever happens again." #idpol
Power-hungry legislators know that if they enact another anti-initiatives law it will be struck down by the courts. So instead they're going straight for the jugular by attempting to amend the Idaho Constitution. We won't let that happen. #idpol
https://medium.com/reclaim-idaho-blog/once-again-idaho-legislators-attempt-to-eliminate-ballot-initiative-rights-d4d76d2c459a
Power-hungry legislators know that if they enact another anti-initiatives law it will be struck down by the courts. So instead they're going straight for the jugular by attempting to amend the Idaho Constitution. We won't let that happen. #idpol
https://medium.com/reclaim-idaho-blog/once-again-idaho-legislators-attempt-to-eliminate-ballot-initiative-rights-d4d76d2c459a
After watching Missourians use the power of direct democracy to legalize marijuana, expand Medicaid, and #RaiseTheWage in recent years, Republicans who control all levers of government in MO want to make it more difficult to get a measure on the ballot and tougher for it to pass.
GOP lawmakers want to make it tougher to change Missouri Constitution https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/gop-lawmakers-want-to-make-it-tougher-to-change-missouri-constitution/article_70ace37f-2ec9-503f-83f6-61728ec2895a.html?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_stlpolitics
In November, South Dakota became the 39th state to #ExpandMedicaid and the 7th to do so through a citizen-initiated ballot measure!
North Carolina is poised to become the 40th state to expand Medicaid - making healthcare more accessible for about 600k North Carolinians! 👏🏽
Just one week into 2023 legislative sessions, GOP lawmakers across the country are already looking to undermine the #BallotInitiative process.
These attacks are a direct response to voters across the country passing popular, common-sense policies through the power of the ballot.
GOP lawmakers in Florida, Missouri & Ohio have introduced bills to restrict citizen-led ballot initiatives. These states have seen successful initiatives championing causes like banning partisan gerrymandering, increasing the state's minimum wage and more. https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/lawmakers-look-to-restrict-ballot-initiative-process-in-florida-missouri-and-ohio/
In 2021, we tracked 146 bills aimed at restricting or abolishing the ballot measure process — a 500% increase from 2017.
"These proposals build on recent momentum to curtail voters’ power at the ballot box."
Check out the full @DemocracyDocket piece citing BISC's research! 👇🏾
GOP lawmakers in Florida, Missouri & Ohio have introduced bills to restrict citizen-led ballot initiatives. These states have seen successful initiatives championing causes like banning partisan gerrymandering, increasing the state's minimum wage and more. https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/lawmakers-look-to-restrict-ballot-initiative-process-in-florida-missouri-and-ohio/
"We could cite any number of examples where Missourians used their initiative process — and let’s be clear, it is “theirs” — to implement the #WillOfThePeople because they couldn’t get it past lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans at different times."
#DefendDirectDemocracy
After years of failed efforts to make it harder to change Missouri’s constitution through the initiative petition process, GOP leaders in both the House and Senate say they will make it a priority to raise the bar in 2023.
https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/four-states/with-abortion-fight-likely-looming-missouri-gop-looks-to-raise-bar-to-change-constitution/article_35af42b2-904c-11ed-a1cb-4fcedeb14bbb.html