Monthly Archives: January 2012

Washington: Lawmakers Move Ballot Initiative Reform Forward

January 31, 2012

Washington state lawmakers forged ahead Monday with a bill to require ballot initiative campaigns to identify their top five donors in their advertisements. The bill passed out of a House committee on a party-line vote, with seven Democrats in favor and four Republicans opposed. Supporters of the legislation note that corporate spending on ballot initiatives…

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California: Opinion – Ballot Measure Titles and Summaries Should not be Written by Attorneys General

January 31, 2012

A couple of months ago, at a discussion on the initiative process at a Zocalo Public Square meeting in Los Angeles, the panelists were asked what one thing they would change with the initiative process. As a panelist, my answer: Take away the power to write the initiative title and summary from the attorney general’s…

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Maine: Renewable Energy Referendum Pushed Back Year

January 31, 2012

A coalition that’s pushing for a referendum to set a state minimum for renewable energy in Maine fell short of the voters’ signatures needed by Monday’s deadline to force a November vote. While Maine Citizens for Clean Energy missed the deadline to file the petitions with state election officials, the group promised to continue to…

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California: Politicans Use Power to Fix the Ballot Game

January 30, 2012

When a political party achieves dominance of any government, one expects that it would use its hegemony to enact its public policy agenda. That’s the way democracy is supposed to work. Using dominance to change the political system with the aim of perpetuating control is another matter. It fixes the game and undermines democracy. Read…

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Nebraska: Don’t Take Petition Right for Granted

January 30, 2012

The writer, an Omaha resident, is a veteran of petition drives and lawsuits challenging Nebraska petition laws. He has filed an initiative petition to lower signature thresholds. When an anniversary passes without notice, it’s unfortunate. When a 100-year anniversary goes unnoticed, it should make us pause. In 1912, Nebraska voters approved a measure that would…

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Missouri: Petition Efforts Focus on Payday Loans, Minimum Wage

January 30, 2012

Two Missouri organizations are working together to push ballot measures seeking to cap payday loan interest rates and increase the state minimum wage. Missourians for Responsible Lending and Give Missourians A Raise kicked off the two initiative petition campaigns at a joint event Saturday at the Boone County Commission Chambers. The group Grass Roots Organizing put…

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California: Reform Groups Merge, Revive Budget Ballot Initiative

January 27, 2012

Two California governance reform groups have combined forces and resurrected a budget accountability initiative using what every successful ballot measure needs: Cash. With matching $3 million pledges, billionaire Nicolas Berggruen and his California Think Long Committee is joining forces with California Forward, a government reform organization led by former Contra Costa Supervisor Sunne Wright McPeak…

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Nevada: Early Voting Begins in Recall of Las Vegas City Councilman

January 27, 2012

As early voting began today, the negative back-and-forth continued in the special recall election for the Ward 6 spot on the Las Vegas City Council, featuring incumbent Steve Ross and his challenger, Byron Goynes. Two early voting centers have been operating today for the special election, which Ross claims is being spurred by car dealer…

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Missouri: E-Verify Rivals Spend More in Springfield Ballot Measure

January 27, 2012

Groups on either side of the proposed E-Verify ordinance have begun spending money to woo voters, with opponents so far outspending supporters more than 10-to-1. In a Jan. 22 email sent to Springfield City Council and others, Grupo Latinoamericano President Yolanda Lorge said opponents of the ballot measure had spent about $20,000, mostly on printed…

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Arkansas: Gov. Beebe Unsure About Severance Tax Support

January 26, 2012

Gov. Mike Beebe said Wednesday (Jan. 25) he is “re-evaluating” his support for a proposed ballot initiative that would raise Arkansas’ severance tax. Sheffield Nelson, a former natural gas company executive, has received ballot title approval from Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel for a referendum to raise severance tax on natural gas to 7% and exclude…

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