Election 2020 Ballot Box

2020 BALLOT BOX

It’s not just about the presidency.

Here’s a sampling of the 100+ measures – in 32 states and D.C. – which may change American life.

BACKGROUND

• Americans can directly participate in their state’s democratic process through ballot measures.
• Ballot measures take two major forms – either originating through the state government of elected officials, OR by voters themselves (who gather the requisite number of signatures for a measure to make it onto the ballot).
• We selected a few of the key issues voters will weigh-in on nationwide.

DRUGS

Legalizing medicinal marijuana: Mississippi and South Dakota.

Legalizing recreational marijuana: Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota.

Legalizing psilocybin (aka magic) mushrooms: Oregon. Meanwhile, a ballot measure in D.C. would make psilocybin crimes a “low priority” for police.

$$$

• California: Whether to overturn a recently passed law that eliminates cash bail and relies on risk assessments when considering pre-court release.
• Florida: Whether to raise the minimum wage from $8.56 to $15 by 2026.
• Illinois: Whether to replace the flat-tax system in place since 1969 (everyone pays same % regardless of income) with a graduated income tax (people who make more would pay more).

ABORTION

Colorado: Whether to ban abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy unless needed to save the life of the mother.

Louisiana: Whether to amend the state constitution to add language declaring that nothing in the constitution should be interpreted as protecting the right to or funding of an abortion. Otherwise, the state constitution would remain as is – w/o specific language on abortion rights.

“EDITING” THE PAST

• Alabama: Whether to allow the state gov’t to remove “racist language” from the state’s 119-year-old constitution.
• California: Whether to allow affirmative action policies, undoing a 1996 ban on use of race and sex consideration in hiring & university admissions.
• Utah: Whether to remove gender-specific language from the state constitution, meaning phrases like “all men” would be edited to “all people.”

California voters will weigh in on a ballot measure to decide whether rideshare and delivery drivers who work for app-based businesses (ex: Uber) should continue to be treated as independent contractors – exempting them from a law that would treat them as employees (with workplace protections, like minimum wage).