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Week of 11.10.06
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With 205 propositions on the ballots in 37 states, Tuesday was the third most active election cycle for ballot initiatives since 1904. Below are some of the key ballot initiative outcomes, and related NOW reports. Abortion The citizens of South Dakota voted to reject a law passed by the state legislature earlier this year that would ban all abortions, including in cases of rape or incest, unless the mother's life is at risk. Supporters of the law—the most restrictive in the nation—had hoped the South Dakota case could help challenge the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. In Oregon and California, measures that would have required parental notification for minors seeking an abortion were rejected. » NOW: No Right to Choose? Affirmative Action Michigan voters approved a proposal that prohibits public institutions from considering race, ethnicity, or gender in public employment or education. In recent years, voters have approved similar measures in California and Washington State. Election Reform Voters saw measures aimed at reforming elections in several states. Montana approved a measure that prohibits lobbying by government officials for two years after leaving office. The citizens of Colorado approved an amendment that puts restrictions on lobbying and gifts. The defeat of Proposition 89 in California is a setback for the so-called 'clean elections' movement. Voters there decided not to follow in the steps of Maine and Arizona, which both provide public financing of candidates' campaigns. Proposition 89 would have curbed the amount of money individual donors can give to candidates running for office and reduced the amounts companies can spend on ballot initiatives. » NOW: Votes for Sale? Eminent Domain This issue of eminent domain—the government's power to seize private property—was on the ballot in 11 states, more than any other issue. Traditionally, the government has been allowed to take a citizen's home or land when it wants to build something that is considered a "public good"—projects like schools or highways. But in 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court expanded that traditional definition, and ruled that local governments were permitted to seize private property and give it to private developers. This controversial ruling argued that if the property was then improved or upgraded, the ensuing boost to local tax revenues could be considered a "public good." In all, nine states approved measures aimed at restricting or dialing back this new interpretation of eminent domain—Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, and South Carolina—while California and Idaho rejected the idea. » NOW: Land Grab Immigration Arizona approved one measure making English the official language of the state, and another that expands the list of government benefits denied to illegal immigrants. Colorado voted yes to an initiative that would allow the state to sue the federal government to enforce immigration laws. » NOW: Alien Nation? » NOW: Be Our Guest » NOW: Latinos Now—A National Conversation Minimum Wage Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio decided it was time to raise wages above the federal minimum of $5.15 per hour—an amount that hasn't been raised in nearly a decade. They will join 23 states that already have set their minimum wages higher than the federal level. » NOW: Minimum Wedge Same-Sex Marriage Seven states—Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin—approved constitutional amendments that restrict marriage to unions between a man and a woman, bringing the total number of states that have approved such a measure to 23. The citizens of Arizona became the first to reject an amendment banning same-sex marriage. Colorado voted against creating domestic partnerships that give same-sex couples the same legal rights as married couples. The issue received extra attention after a controversial decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court last month ruling that gay couples should be awarded the same rights as heterosexual couples. Stem Cell Research Missourians narrowly approved an amendment that would ensure that any federally-approved stem cell research and treatment, including work on human embryos, would be available in Missouri. The issue became a key factor in the state's crucial Senate race, won by Democratic challenger Claire McCaskill. McCaskill supported the measure, while incumbent Republican Jim Talent opposed it. Actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, appeared in political ads in support of embryonic stem cell research prior to the election, drawing some criticism from conservatives. Taxes and Budget Maine, Nebraska and Oregon all rejected measures that would have restricted the state's ability to raise taxes or increase spending. The so-called 'Taxpayers Bill of Rights' (TABOR) has been in place in Colorado since 1992, when an amendment to the state constitution was passed. Voters there last year approved suspending TABOR for five years, allowing Colorado to keep an estimated $3.7 billion that otherwise would have been returned to taxpayers, according to the Associated Press. » NOW: Taking the Initiative Other Notable Initiative Results Fuel for Thought: California voters rejected Proposition 87, an initiative to tax oil extraction to pay for the development of renewable fuels. Spending on the initiative from both the pro and con camps exceeded $150 million, making it the most expensively-fought ballot initiative ever, according to the Initiative and Referendum Institute. Veteran Payback: Pennsylvania voters gave the state the go-ahead to borrow $20 million so that some 33,000 veterans who participated in the Persian Gulf War could collect one-time payments of $525. Where There's Smoke: Voters in Ohio and Arizona approved a tough ban on smoking in public places and rejected measures backed by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco that would have exempted bars. No Pot Luck: Measures that would have legalized possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by anyone 21 and older were rejected. Thanks a Million: A quirky measure in Arizona that would have awarded $1 million to a randomly selected voter in each general election was, alas, defeated. Related Links: For a full overview of all ballot initiatives see: Initiative and Referendum Institute: Election Results 2006 |
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