9th Circuit Dismisses Doe v. Reed Appeal as Moot
See here. A concurring opinion by Judge Smith reached the merits and rejected the as-applied claim in this case involving donors to an anti-gay rights referendum.
Category Archives: direct democracy
NYT Article on Millionaires Funding CA Ballot Measures — Is This Really Something New?
Here is a guest post from USC’s John Matsusaka, one of the very best people working in the direct democracy area:
Yesterday the New York Times reported that rich individuals were heavily involved in funding California ballot propositions, and at… Continue reading
“Munger Siblings Spend $54 Million to Sway California Vote”
“California Ballot Initiatives, Born in Populism, Now Come From Billionaires”
“North Dakota Investigation Implicates Petition Fraud”
Governing: “Nearly 25,000 signatures submitted to place two initiatives on North Dakota’s November ballot were fraudulent, according to a state investigation, raising questions about the widespread practice of contracting out signature-gathering for ballot petitions.”
Arizona Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Top-Two Primary Proposal Appearing on Ballot
See this order.
“Minnesota Supreme Court Clears Way for Fierce Fall Fight on Voter ID”
“Judge orders changes to Prop. 32 language”
LA Times: “A Sacramento County Superior Court judge on Monday ordered the secretary of state to change language on the November ballot describing Proposition 32, the initiative that promises to eliminate special-interest money in politics.”
“Judge blocks top-two initiative from ballot”
Arizona judge tosses measure on single subject grounds.
Complex, Fractured Michigan Supreme Court Decision Includes Fight Over Font Size and Substantial Compliance
You can read the opinion here in all of its technical glory (including pictures).
More on what the opinion means for Michigan here.
On the surface, this is a fight about the meaning of 14-point font. But the concurring… Continue reading
“U.S. judge strikes down Va. law on ballot petitions”
“State ballot measures — the name game”
Bill McGeveran and Myron Orfield have written this oped in the Star-Tribune.
Breaking News: CA Appellate Court Rejects New Challenge to Prop. 13 in Unpublished Opinion
The rejected claim was that part of Prop. 13 “changed the fundamental structure and foundational powers of the legislative and executive branches of government” and therefore was really a revision of the CA constitution and not a permissible amendment. The… Continue reading
Ballot Argument of the Day
California Republicans abandon Prop 40’s attempt to overturn CA Redistricting Commission