September Hot Sheet: The Long Arm of Authoritarianism

09/24/2025

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Welcome back to The Hot Sheet!

Here, we give you a quick rundown of what you need to know about the 2025 ballot measure landscape — the trends, analysis, highlights of what’s on the ballot, and why it all matters. 

For more in-depth analysis, our latest voter attitudes research, and information on the measures we’re tracking, head to our Ballot Measure Hub.

2025 Ballot Measure Landscape

As of August 31, there are 24 measures confirmed for the November 4 ballot in California, Colorado, Maine, New York, Texas, and Washington. Six measures have already appeared on statewide ballots this spring in Louisiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. 

As of August 31, BISC is still monitoring 24 active bills across seven states and Washington D.C. related to direct democracy — at least nine of which seek to limit the People’s Tool. 52 bills have already passed in state houses and three others have been vetoed by governors.

The Toplines

  • In his call for a special session focused on illegal gerrymandering, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe also tasked lawmakers with dramatically weakening the citizen’s initiative petition process.
  • The California State Assembly has asked voters to approve the use of a new, temporary congressional district map for the next three election cycles. 
  •  A judge has ordered Missouri Sec. of State Denny Hoskins to rewrite ballot language for a legislatively-referred amendment aiming to overturn 2024’s reproductive rights amendment.

Emerging Trend

The Long Arm of Authoritarianism: Illegal Gerrymandering and Attacks on Direct Democracy: While calling for a special session to focus on illegal gerrymandering at the behest of the Trump administration, Gov. Kehoe also instructed legislators to use the time to attack Missouri’s initiative petition process. It’s no coincidence that legislators are taking advantage of the national focus on redistricting battles as a smoke screen to distract from their attacks on direct democracy. Whether it’s by creating the country’s highest vote threshold for citizen-led amendments or by dismantling MO-5 in Kansas City, these efforts are about weakening the power of Missourians and further concentrating it in the hands of politicians. 

  • Missouri House Joint Resolution 3 (LR) (2026)
    • Will appear on a 2026 ballot
    • Citizen-led ballot measures must be approved by a majority of voters statewide and a majority of votes in each congressional district
      • In theory, an initiated amendment could receive a 95% statewide approval and still fail if it doesn’t win in one of the eight districts.
    • Gives the state attorney general exclusive criminal jurisdiction to prosecute those convicted of petition signature fraud.  
    • Requires complete text of citizen-led initiative be provided with every ballot.
    • No ballot measure committee contributions from foreign adversaries.

If left unchecked, the growing hostility that extremist politicians in Missouri are showing toward the ballot initiative process may permanently weaken one of the last remaining tools citizens have to effect change outside of partisan gridlock. Protecting the integrity of the initiative petition process is not simply about defending specific policies, it is about safeguarding the principle that democracy should represent and be responsive to the people it serves.

Ballot Measures to Watch

Issue: Democracy

California Prop. 50: Use of Legislative Congressional Redistricting Map Amendment (LR) 

What It Does: This proposed amendment would require the state to temporarily use a legislatively-drawn congressional district map for every congressional election until new maps are drawn by the state’s voter-approved independent redistricting commission in 2031.

Why It Matters: Originally titled the Election Rigging Response Act, the measure was proposed by Gov. Newsom in response to the Trump-backed redistricting effort in Texas to redraw Texas congressional maps in order to flip seats in favor of Republicans and add to the GOP’s House majority in Congress. Though Prop. 50 has seen considerable support from democracy advocates, unions, and other major progressive organizations in the face of growing authoritarianism and attacks on the election process, some have expressed concern about the unintended effects of allowing the legislature to sidestep the voter-approved ballot initiative that led to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

BISC Analysis: Engaging Voters Beyond the Politics: It’s all too easy to get caught up in the Prop. 50 headlines and proponents will need to move beyond the partisan tit-for-tat arguments if they’re going to make real headway at the ballot box. When asking voters to support a ballot measure, BISC executive director Chris Melody Fields Figueredo explains that it’s critical to ensure voters understand what’s truly at stake: “They need to understand the context. They want to understand why they’re voting for something. What is that potential impact? What is it in response to?” The campaign has to illustrate that defending the ballot isn’t just about preserving the electoral process — it’s about resisting a future where democracy is hollowed out in favor of partisan control. Proponents must make clear that Prop. 50 is a direct response to authoritarian maneuvers to rig the system and undermine fair representation on the national stage. The kind of democratic decay threatened by the gerrymandering plans in Texas and Missouri does more than limit ballot access — it opens the door to fascism by normalizing executive overreach, legislative complicity, and public disillusionment. Through Prop. 50, the campaign has an opportunity to demonstrate that ballot measures give voters the power to build a democracy rooted in integrity, accountability, and people-powered reform extending well beyond party lines.

Challenges to 2024 Ballot Measures

Issue: Reproductive Freedom

    • Missouri Amendment 3: Right to Reproductive Freedom (CI) 
      • Legal Challenges: Reproductive health providers are suing to block state laws that have prevented patients from accessing abortion medication nearly a year after voters enshrined the right to abortion in the state constitution. At the same time, newly appointed Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is continuing with an appeal filed by her predecessor that seeks to overturn a judge’s temporary block of other anti-abortion regulations, commonly known as TRAP laws, that had prevented access to surgical abortion.
      • Legislative Challenge: Following a lawsuit from the ACLU of Missouri, a judge has recently ordered Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to rewrite the ballot language for a legislatively-referred measure. That proposed amendment would overturn 2024’s voter-approved reproductive rights initiative and enshrine a ban on gender-affirming care for minors in the state constitution. The lawsuit argued that the ballot language is misleading and insufficient, with ACLU’s attorney noting that, “Among other things, the General Assembly chose not to even tell voters that they are being asked to repeal the constitutional amendment they just adopted.”

In Case You Missed It

BISC’s Resource Library: Our Partner Portal Resource Library houses ballot measure information ranging from campaign tools, templates, and past campaign materials (Values, MOUS, RFPs, etc.) —  to campaign debriefs and memos highlighting best practices. This library is a unique resource that can help campaigns and organizations build strategies and operationalize racial equity. To request access to the library, please email [email protected]