The people's choice: once again, there's something for everyone on statewide ballots this November.

AuthorBowser, Jennie Drage
PositionELECTIONS

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Back again this year are many of the same issues that appeared on ballots throughout the first decade of the 2000s: marriage, marijuana, gambling and of course, taxes. There are, however, a handful of new issues, as well as a few new twists on old themes.

At the end of September, 174 measures had qualified for statewide ballots. Forty-four are citizen initiatives. That's slightly more than the 42 initiatives seen on the November 2010 ballot, but still a far cry from the average of 62 initiatives on even-year ballots between 2000 and 2008.

What has skyrocketed this year is use of the popular referendum, with 12 on the ballot in seven states. Not since 1920 have there been that many in a single election. The popular referendum, available in 23 states, allows citizens to stop a new law in its tracks. If enough signatures are filed, the new law is put on hold, generally before it even takes effect, until voters in the next election approve or reject it.

The recent rise in use of the popular referendum parallels the historic use of the recall over the past two years. Both are tools for citizens to push back against government actions they don't like and reflect the significant political polarization in America today.

Ballots in some states will be lengthy. Voters in Alabama, California and Florida will pore over 11 statewide measures. Oregon, which leads the country in use of the initiative, has nine measures this year, as do Arizona and Louisiana. Voters in 12 states will have no statewide measures to consider.

Swing States

Strategists on both sides of the political spectrum like to use partisan ballot measures to influence voter turnout, believing that a highly contentious issue will bring out voters and benefit the candidates of that same flavor as well. Academic research shows that the presence of any measure on the ballot increases turnout by a few points, but it's unclear who is more motivated by controversial measures--supporters or opponents.

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Of the 11 states considered swing states in the presidential race, Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have no ballot measures. And the ones in Nevada and Virginia don't have a partisan slant strong enough to influence candidates' races.

The states to keep an eye on, however, are Colorado, Florida, Minnesota (looking more like a swing state in the presidential race, and certainly in the toss-up column for legislative control), New...

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