Is it possible that third parties in California could organize an initiative for 2016 to neutralize Top-two?
Posted to kqednews
By John Myers
November 12, 2014
Here’s one to ponder as we await the tallying of tens of thousands of uncounted ballots: Will this fall’s voter malaise in California plant the seeds for a ballot initiative frenzy in two years?
What’s the connection, you say? Simple. It’s in the state constitution — a little-talked-about provision that uses votes cast in a gubernatorial election as the measuring stick for future initiatives.
Article II of the California Constitution says that the number of valid voter signatures to qualify an initiative is based on the total votes cast in the most recent race for governor. For initiatives that seek to amend the state constitution, the signatures must equal at least 8 percent of the gubernatorial vote; for those that would create new statutes (state law), it’s 5 percent of the gubernatorial vote.
For the 2012 and 2014 elections, that threshold was set in the 2010 contest between Gov. Jerry Brown and GOP challenger Meg Whitman. For 2016 and 2018, the threshold will be set by what happened on Nov. 4.
And as we’re now seeing, that total vote was low. Historically low.
As of now, state elections officials have reported that just shy of 6.5 million votes were cast in the duel between Brown and Republican Neel Kashkari.
That means that backers of any potential 2016 or 2018 ballot measures to write state law could qualify their initiative for the ballot with as few as 325,000 valid signatures. Compare that with the existing threshold for a statutory initiative, which is 504,760.
Big, big difference.
“It’s going to cost a lot less to qualify for the ballot,” said Beth Miller, a GOP political strategist who was a top aide to former Secretary of State Bill Jones.
For initiatives that seek to rewrite the state constitution, California’s governance blueprint, the threshold for qualification could drop to close to 521,000 signatures — compared with its current level of 807,615.
And for a coming election cycle where everyone already expects a torrent of ballot initiatives, from legal pot to tax hikes and beyond, these super-low thresholds could make it a lot easier to get an issue in front of voters.
The rest of the article can be read here. .
Great news!
http://www.alternet.org/election-2014/six-states-where-gop-voter-suppression-tactics-could-sway-outcome
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_suppression
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/04/13/republican-voter-suppression-guide-2014-edition.html
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119708/republican-voter-suppression-efforts-aim-stymie-democratic-plans
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/04/1341699/-Jon-Stewart-skewers-GOP-midterm-election-scary-tactics-voter-suppression
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/opinion/columnists/josh-moon/2014/10/17/deadline-another-gop-voter-suppression-tactic/17446331/
Need more?
How do you define “voter suppression measures and efforts?”
I wonder if anyone has looked at the state by state numbers to see if the low turnout had any correspondence with Republican voter suppression measures and efforts?
The Anti-Drug convetions were all initiated and pushed by the USA. I think legalization in Uruguay (and Bolivia?) has shown that without the US pushing many other nations are ready to end prohibition on cannabis. I personally think Mexico is next. Admittedly, no doubt, their is a beaucracy pleasantly entrenched in their funding, but I really do think once things change in the US, the whole drug war will roll up and disappear in smoke – as Paulie suggested!
They must be reading my posts 🙂
http://www.ballot-access.org/2014/11/daily-oklahoman-editorial-says-poor-turnout-has-a-silver-lining-easier-2016-ballot-access/
I’d say roll the UN up and smoke it, but it would probably be really bad for your lungs.
Reuters reports that marijuana legalization by U.S. states violates international drug conventions, according to the head of the United Nations anti-narcotic agency. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/12/us-usa-drugs-un-idUSKCN0IW1GV20141112
Perhaps the people who have criticized The Libertarian Party for its call to end US participation in the United Nations might have second thoughts now.
OUR AMERICA ISSUES PREVAIL AT THE POLLS
November 12, 2014, Santa Fe, NM — While much of the attention from last week’s election is focused on the outcomes of various Senate, House and gubernatorial races, a number of state and local initiatives co-sponsored, endorsed or supported by Our America were enacted by voters.
Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia all voted to legalize and regulate marijuana, joining Colorado and Washington. Our America was active in all three of those efforts, and Honorary Chairman Gov. Gary Johnson traveled to Alaska to personally urge support for that state’s historic legalization measure. Laws to reduce penalties for marijuana possession were enacted in both California and New Mexico.
Likewise, voters protected gaming from unnecessary government restriction in both Massachusetts and South Dakota. In Alabama, voters confirmed hunting rights, and in Massachusetts, a burdensome system of automatic gas tax increases was repealed.
And in Arizona, a ground-breaking law was passed to grant the “right to try” to patients with terminal illnesses who wish to try experimental medical treatments that have not yet been approved by the government. Our America strongly supports the “right to try”, and looks forward to supporting similar measures across the nation.
Applauding these grassroots efforts, Governor Johnson said, “The fight for liberty isn’t limited to the federal level. All across America, activists are working in their states and communities for smaller government and greater freedom. With this election behind us, Our America supporters are turning their attention to state legislative sessions next year and to other opportunities to advance liberty, economic freedom and smaller government. Last Tuesday’s results are a great start.”
The OUR America Initiative is a 501(c)(4) political advocacy committee and may receive unlimited donations from both individual and corporate donors.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2014/11/2016-national-presidential-ballot-access-requirements-are-lower-than-in-2012/ goes into some more detail about this.
Thee was lots of good initiative news from many states. BTW, I noticed you have an article in drafts, are you still planning to post that?
I have noted at The California Libertarian Report that on 3 of the statewide initiatives, California voters sided with The Libertarian Party http://calibertarianreport.com/2014/11/11/california-propositionsvoters-side-with-libertarians/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuC5H8anpkU
Is there an echo in here? 🙂
This could lead to lower petition signature requirements for minor parties and independent candidates in some states as well.
Not just CA, but many other states too. Nationwide, it was the lowest turnout since 1942, with primarily Democratic constituencies being the bulk of those who didn’t vote, given how uninspiring Democrats have been in office. In 1942, many people didn’t vote because they were off fighting in WWII or recently moved from one state to another to work in wartime industries and not yet registered to vote at their new address. The other low was in the early 1920s when women were newly allowed to vote but many had not yet registered or started to actually vote. Other than that this election is the lowest turnout of the 20th or 21st (to date) centuries.
One good thing about that is that it will be easier to qualify ballot initiatives, alt parties and independent candidates in the many states where the number of signatures to do so will be a function of turnout in this past election.
And most of the initiative and referendum news from most states on both social and economic issues was good in this past election from a libertarian perspective, although certainly not all.