Category Archives: direct democracy

“Backers of Michigan LGBT rights initiative granted extra time for ballot petition signatures”

June 11, 2020, 8:02 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

MLive: Backers of a Michigan LGBT rights initiative have been granted 69 extra days to gather the signatures required for their question to appear before voters.The additional time equates to the length of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-home orders intended… Continue reading

Federal District Court Extends Nevada Petition Filing Deadline in Light of COVID for Circulators of Redistricting Petition

May 29, 2020, 3:14 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

Opinion here. The court rejected a request to relax the in-person signature requirements.

“Mich. ballot initiative hampered by pandemic, lockdown seeks day in court”

May 27, 2020, 12:17 pmballot access, direct democracyRick Hasen

The Detroit News reports.

Revised Version Available of My Paper on Direct Democracy Rights During a Pandemic, Taking Into Account Awful 6th Circuit Opinion from Tuesday

May 27, 2020, 11:59 amballot access, direct democracy, election administrationRick Hasen

Draft here (paper is forthcoming in the University of Chicago Law Review Online). Abstract: Putting aside the Supreme Court’s controversial decision in Republican National Committee v. Democratic National Committee, the case over extending the date for receipt of absentee ballots… Continue reading

“U.S. District Court Grants Relief to Initiative Proponents in Arkansas”

May 27, 2020, 6:48 amballot access, direct democracyRick Hasen

BAN reports.

Sixth Circuit, in Troubling Decision, Reverses District Court Decision Requiring Ohio to Accept Electronic Signatures for Initiative Petitions

May 26, 2020, 11:42 amballot access, direct democracy, election administrationRick Hasen

You can find the per curiam opinion of the three-judge panel here. This opinion is troubling, and fits into a larger pattern of the court not protecting direct democracy during the pandemic. Indeed, I have this forthcoming piece in… Continue reading

“Direct Democracy Denied: The Right to Initiative in a Pandemic”

May 22, 2020, 5:47 pmdirect democracy, election administrationRick Hasen

I have posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, University of Chicago Law Review Online). Here is the abstract: Putting aside the Supreme Court’s controversial decision in Republican National Committee v. Democratic National Committee, the case over extending the date for… Continue reading

Nevada: “Group backing redistricting commission files lawsuit seeking e-signatures, extended deadline”

May 8, 2020, 6:45 amdirect democracy, redistrictingRick Hasen

The Nevada Independent reports.

“Federal Court DISMISSES Request To Force State To Allow Online Petition-Gathering For Initiatives During Pandemic”

April 18, 2020, 3:35 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

Arizona’s Politics reports.

“Nevada group to seek signatures for redistricting initiative”

January 7, 2020, 3:02 pmdirect democracy, redistrictingJustin Levitt

The initiative to institute a commission in Nevada was amended and refiled to address a trial judge’s concerns about the ballot description.

“Ensuring That People Can Easily Understand the Ballot Measures They’re Voting On”

January 7, 2020, 2:58 pmdirect democracyJustin Levitt

The lede in Route Fifty: Legislation introduced by a Maryland lawmaker would set new standards for describing ballot measures in the state, with the aim of ensuring that people can clearly understand the proposals they’re casting votes on.

“Ranked-Choice Voting Could ‘Change the Rules’ of Electoral Politics in Mass.”

January 7, 2020, 2:57 pmalternative voting systems, direct democracyJustin Levitt

WBUR with an explainer on the ranked choice initiative likely to make it to the ballot if the legislature doesn’t adopt something first.

“Sponsor says Alaska elections initiative has enough signatures to be placed on ballot”

January 4, 2020, 9:41 amalternative voting systems, campaign finance, direct democracy, election administration, UncategorizedJustin Levitt

Alaska Public Media reports on the progress of a proposition calling for a top-four primary, ranked-choice voting, changes to appointments to local election boards, and campaign finance reform, among others.

“Dissonant Referendum Design and Turmoil in Representation”

November 5, 2019, 7:16 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

Jacob Eisler has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: The fruit of a referendum should be political clarity. The people have spoken; the state will act in accordance with their wishes. Yet the Brexit referendum had the… Continue reading