Democratic Party in DC Files Complaint Alleging Use of Ranked Choice Voting in DC is Unconstitutional
See this complaint (via Martin Austermuhle).
Category Archives: direct democracy
“Direct Democracy Backsliding? Quantifying the Prevalence and Investigating Causes 1960-2022”
John Matsusaka has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract:
Direct democracy backsliding occurs when a state alters its laws to hinder the use of initiatives and referendums. This study quantifies the prevalence of direct democracy backsliding over… Continue reading
“Republicans dominate in Florida. Abortion and pot could change that.”
Politico: “National Democrats had all but written off Florida as a lost cause — a former purple state turned solid red by the MAGA movement and Gov. Ron DeSantis. But key party leaders in the state, desperate to turn… Continue reading
“Lawsuit asks Ohio Supreme Court to block abortion rights measure from November ballot”
Cleveland.com:
After an abortion rights amendment qualified to appear on the November ballot in Ohio, a new lawsuit from Republicans asks the Ohio Supreme Court to block the measure.
Filed on Friday, the challenge argues that the abortion rights… Continue reading
“The Ohio GOP’s bold abortion gambit has imploded”
The Fix on the August ballot measure that would raise the threshold for amending the state constitution from 50% plus one to 60%, in order to make it more difficult to enact an abortion rights initiative later this year:
It… Continue reading
Opting Out of California’s New Ballot Transparency Law
Marin Independent Journal reports:
AB 1416, which became effective in January, requires that the supporters and opponents of statewide and local measures be listed on ballots. However, the law allows counties to opt out of participating.
On Tuesday, Marin County… Continue reading
Strong Early Voting on Ohio’s Issue 1
WKYC:
As the August 8 special election for Issue 1 in Ohio approaches, many voters are taking advantage of early voting.
According to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, as of Wednesday, 155,000 absentee ballots have been cast so… Continue reading
“Changes to Ohio voter ID law will impact August 8 election. Here’s how”
From States Newsroom:
To get to the ballot box, voters need to keep in mind changes made to voter ID laws last year, in a late-night legislative move approved by Gov. Mike DeWine at the beginning of 2023.
Those… Continue reading
“Another campaign complaint filed against opponents of Alaska ranked choice voting”
Alaska Public Media:
On Monday, Alaskans for Better Elections filed a complaint against former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka, a nonprofit that she operates and Alaskans for Honest Elections, which is campaigning to repeal ranked choice voting in… Continue reading
“‘Hypocritical’ — Sec. of State LaRose apparently changes law to help Issue 1 supporters”
News on the Republican-backed referendum that would raise the threshold for amending the state constitution in August, before an initiative to protect abortion rights can go before voters in November: “Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has seemingly changed the… Continue reading
“Billionaire-funded group driving effort to erode democracy in key US states”
The Guardian:
A Florida group primarily funded by an Illinois billionaire is driving the recent attacks on direct democracy in states such as Ohio, Missouri, South Dakota and Arkansas.
The Foundation for Government Accountability, a Florida-based group affiliated with… Continue reading
“Ohio GOP passes amendment to make ballot initiatives harder, but voters get to weigh in first”
Daily Kos: Following the playbook of several other Republican legislatures, the Ohio legislature is seeking to make the initiative process harder for voters. This is, in my view, the most pernicious iteration of the on-going anti-democratic entrenchment playbook.… Continue reading
“Billionaire backing effort to raise Ohio amendment threshold funded election deniers, Jan. 6 rally”
The Ohio Capital Journal notes that one of the ostensible reasons for raising Ohio’s threshold to pass citizen-initiated constitutional amendments is to “keep powerful out-of-state interests from meddling with the Ohio Constitution” … and that a significant donor to the… Continue reading
“Ohio Republicans try to change rules to defeat abortion rights amendment”
Dan Balz WaPo column:
or 111 years, Ohio voters have lived with a set of rules for amending their state constitution through citizen initiative. The requirements have not changed and the threshold for enactment has always been 50 percent plus… Continue reading