The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 21, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
How’s this for cruel irony: Arizona anti-voter legislators are proposing voters pass their legislative constitutional ballot question this November to make it harder for voters to get a citizen ballot initiative on the ballot.
Currently, an Arizona citizen ballot question requires statewide signatures from 10% of registered voters for a state statute, and 15% for a constitutional amendment. But in 2023, the Arizona legislature passed the Arizona Distribution Requirement for Initiatives Amendment. This ballot measure changes the rules for citizen ballot questions, requiring, for a state statute, that signatures come from 10% of the number of voters who voted for in the previous governor’s race, AND requiring they come from EACH legislative district in the state. For constitutional amendments, it’s 15% from each district.
Arizona pro-voter groups say such a requirement adds huge costs by requiring hundreds more signature gatherers to reach into Arizona’s rural legislative districts, with fewer voters and commerce centers.
Another 2024 legislative ballot measure aims to raise the threshold to pass a constitutional amendment to 60%. Ohio recently failed to use threshold and signature distribution requirements to head off a reproductive rights amendment.
And even if advocates gather enough signatures, opponents are using a new financial intimidation tactic to discourage ballot questions. More on that tomorrow.
Read more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Arizona Legislature – Text of SCR 1015
BallotPedia – Arizona Signature Distribution Requirement for Initiatives Amendment (2024)
Arizona Mirror – Resolution would make passing constitutional amendments more difficult
Brennan Center for Justice – Politicians Take Aim at Ballot Initiatives
Bolts Magazine – Arizona Republicans Set Up a Ballot Measure to Squash Future Ballot Measures
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