Category Archives: direct democracy

“Corporations, interest groups spend fortunes on ballot measures”

September 2, 2018, 2:43 pmcampaign finance, direct democracyRick Hasen

Reid Wilson: Some of the most expensive campaigns this fall will be waged between the wealthiest corporations and best-funded interest groups in America, as those groups vie to pass or block ballot initiatives in states across the country. Voters in… Continue reading

“Special Interest Influence Under Direct Versus Representative Democracy”

August 29, 2018, 9:31 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

Looking forward to reading this by John Matsusaka: The ability of economic interest groups to influence policy is a common theme in economics and political science. Most theories posit that interest group power arises from the ability to influence elected… Continue reading

“The Daily 202: By overturning ballot initiatives, more lawmakers are rejecting the will of their voters”

August 14, 2018, 8:07 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

WaPo reports.

“Billionaire gives up campaign to split California into three states”

August 10, 2018, 12:19 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

Bob Egelko for the SF Chronicle: The author of the thwarted initiative to split California into three states said Thursday he’s dropping his proposal, while denouncing the state Supreme Court’s decision to remove it from the November ballot. In a… Continue reading

California Supreme Court Unanimously and Unsurprisingly Removes Measure to Split CA into 3 States from the Ballot, At Least For Now

July 18, 2018, 4:21 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

This unanimous order is unsurprising and welcome (given the analysis I put forward in this LA Times oped): Time constraints require the court to decide immediately whether to permit Proposition 9 to be placed on the November 6, 2018,… Continue reading

“Voting Rights Group’s Lawsuit Challenges Education Amendment”

July 13, 2018, 9:18 amdirect democracyDan Tokaji

Law.com reports: “A constitutional amendment that could create more charter schools should be removed from the November ballot because it is misleading, the League of Women Voters of Florida alleged in a lawsuit.”

“Preliminary opposition requested in split-California initiative challenge. What further action might the court take?”

July 12, 2018, 8:23 amdirect democracyDan Tokaji

Horvitz & Levy on the lawsuit filed earlier this week challenging the proposed initiative to divide California in three. More coverage of the case from the SF Chronicle.

“Environmental group files lawsuit to block California’s split-the-state measure from November ballot”

July 10, 2018, 6:47 amdirect democracyDan Tokaji

LAT reports on a case filed yesterday in the California Supreme Court to block Prop. 9, which would divide California into three states.

“California’s Supreme Court can kill Cal-3 quickly and save us all a lot of trouble”

June 25, 2018, 6:43 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

I have written this oped for the LA Times. It begins: The Cal-3 ballot measure set to be voted on in November needs a mercy killing from the California Supreme Court, and if it comes fast enough, it could… Continue reading

“U.S. District Court Puts Congressman Doug Lamborn on Colorado Republican Primary Ballot”

May 1, 2018, 3:09 pmballot access, direct democracyRick Hasen

BAN: On May 1, U.S. District Court Judge Philip Brimmer issued a 25-page order in Goodall v Williams, 1:18cv-980. The order enjoins the Secretary of State of Colorado from enforcing the state’s ban on out-of-state circulators for candidate petitions. It… Continue reading

Sixth Circuit Rejects First Amendment Challenge to Ohio’s Single Subject Rule for Initiatives

March 21, 2018, 7:47 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

Opinion.

“Republican bill could allow Arizona Legislature to draw map of voters”

February 16, 2018, 7:26 amdirect democracy, redistrictingRick Hasen

Arizona Republic: Republican state lawmakers are pushing a November ballot proposition that would ask voters to overhaul the panel that draws Arizona’s political boundaries — a move that could affect which party holds power at the state Capitol. The proposition… Continue reading

“Proponents’ Standing to Defend Their Ballot Initiatives: A Post-Hollingsworth Work-Arounds?”

January 24, 2018, 2:45 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

John Caragozian and Nat Stern have posted this article on SSRN (Northeastern University Law Review). Here is the abstract: Voter-enacted ballot initiatives have proved an effective means by which citizens can change state law in the absence of legislative willingness… Continue reading

“Denying review, Supreme Court hands California Attorney General a victory in gas tax initiative case”

December 21, 2017, 11:39 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

David Ettinger blogs.

Election Law Blog

The law of politics and the politics of law