What Are Ballot Initiatives And Why Are They So Important In 2024?

A view of a sample ballot at the Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services building on September 20, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. | Source: Stephen Maturen / Getty

On Election Day, voters will not only have a chance to choose the next president of the United States but in some states, they will also be able to cast ballots on issues brought forth by their fellow citizens.

Those issues formally become what’s known as ballot initiatives — proposed statutes or constitutional amendments that require a certain number of signatures in order to be placed on the ballot for voters to have their voices heard.

Essentially, these ballot initiatives give voters an opportunity to directly change the laws in their states.

Nearly 150 ballot initiatives, which are also referred to as citizen-initiated ballot measures, will be featured on ballots in 41 states on Election Day, according to Ballotpedia.

But ballot initiatives are not only restricted to the general election in November, as they can take place throughout the year as determined on the local and state levels. For instance, five states have voted on ballot initiatives this year already.

Source: BPAC

One example of a ballot initiative being voted on next month is Issue 1 in Ohio, which centers on the Ohio Redistricting Commission, a panel that redraws legislative districts in the state. Voters will be able to decide whether to keep its structure of having seven elected officials preside or restructure the group with 15 citizens instead.

The election results for ballot initiative Issue 1 in Ohio are expected to have an outsized implication for Black voters since the general topic of redistricting has disproportionately affected and disenfranchised Black voters for decades.

“Opponents of Ohio’s Issue 1 redistricting reform claim it would be bad for communities of color,” the Ohio Capital Journal recently reported. “Supporters of the proposal to replace politicians with a citizens commission point to the ways the current maps crack and pack Black voters.”

A ballot initiative garnering attention nationally is Proposition 36 in California, which would increase penalties for repeat offenders of certain theft- and drug-related crimes, reclassifying them as possible felonies instead of misdemeanors.

And in Florida, Amendment 3 would legalize the recreational use of marijuana and, more urgently, Amendment 4 would limit the state government’s ability to interfere in abortion-related matters.

The above examples of ballot initiatives and the more than 100 others spread across ballots nationwide underscore their importance not just for this coming Election Day but also for democracy in general.

Make sure you check out the BPAC Election Resource Center for more information.

Written by NewsOne’s editorial team. 

Paid for by Black Progressive Action Coalition.

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