Ballot initiative bonanza

posted at 9:37 am on November 7, 2006 by Michelle
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I grew up in New Jersey, which does not have provisions for initiatives and referendum–even though it’s the state where the I&R movement began. When I moved out to the West Coast, I got to experience the process up close and personal, tracking Prop. 187 (the anti-illegal immigration ballot measure) and Prop. 200 209 (Ward Connerly’s first successful anti-racial preference measure) in California and anti-tax and anti-preference measures in Washington state. Elite civic worrywarts don’t like “rabble-rousers” having so much say in the electoral process. Guess that’s why I’m such a big ballot initiative booster.

If the national campaigns don’t bring out voters, local and state ballot initiatives will. The Economist reports, “Daniel Smith of the University of Florida and Caroline Tolbert of Kent State University have looked at voting patterns from 1980-2002, and estimate that mid-term turnout goes up by an average of 1.7% for each initiative on the ballot.”

There are measures on the ballot in 37 states covering everything from eminent domain to gay marriage to cloning.

Here are a few we’re keeping an eye on. We’ll update as results come in. Let us know what you’re watching.

*Amendment 2, the “stem cell initiative” in Missouri. It’s Rush vs. Michael J. Fox. Missourians Against Human Cloning lays out the implications. Polls show tightening. Motivated voters on the issue could tilt the dead-heat Talent-McCaskill race.

*MCRI in Michigan – Proposal 2. The usual race-card players, coupled with spineless GOP elites, tried to keep Ward Connerly’s anti-racial preference measure off the ballot. Now, voters will get to speak. Connerly and company have won resoundingly in California and Washington state. It’s a tight race in Michigan.

*Gay marriage. It’s on the ballot in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.

*Abortion in South Dakota – Referred Law 6. Here’s the editorial take of the Aberdeen News. Weather forecast: High temps and high turnout.

Elsewhere, via the Associated Press:

On Withdrawing from Iraq — Three states — Illinois, Massachusetts and Wisconsin — will ask voters if they want to call for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.

On Hosting a New Lottery — Voters in Arizona could be rewarded next election for exercising their right to vote. Proposition 200, the Arizona Voter Reward Act, would establish a $1 million prize drawing every two years for a voter selected at random from those casting ballots in state primary or general elections.

On Raising the Minimum Wage — A boost for state minimum wage levels goes before voters in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Montana, Missouri and Ohio. All the states currently have minimum wages that match the federal level of $5.15 per hour. Arizona would raise its rate to $6.75 per hour; Colorado would go up to $6.85; Missouri would rise to $6.50; Montana and Nevada would increase theirs to $6.15 per hour; and Ohio would raise its wage to $6.85 per hour.

On Designating an Official Language — Arizona will ask voters whether they want to designate English as the official language.

On Smoking and Tobacco Taxes — Arizona and Ohio will decide if they want to ban smoking in public places but allow it in bars. California, Missouri and South Dakota will vote to increase state taxes on tobacco products.

Blowback

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