NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
Voters in 24 states and the District of Columbia can bypass their legislatures by gathering signatures to get proposed laws or constitutional amendments on the ballot. But about 40 bills in roughly a dozen states are now being considered or have been signed into law to restrict this process. Dane Waters, head of the non-partisan Initiative and Referendum Institute, joins John Yang to discuss.
View the transcript of the story.
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key terms
ballot initiative — a proposed law or constitutional amendment that is directly voted on in elections rather than passed through lawmakers.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What is a ballot initiative?
- How many states allow ballot initiatives as part of the legislative process?
- Where are some of the places that legislatures are trying to limit ballot initiatives or make them harder to pass?
- Who is Dane Waters, and what is his background?
- Why do ballot initiatives work well alongside other legislation, according to Waters?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What do you think are some of the pros and cons of ballot initiatives? Do you think they should be easier or harder to pass than they are currently?
Media literacy: Do you know if ballot initiatives are allowed in your state? If so, what have been some recent ballot initiatives, and what initiatives are suggested for the next election?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
What sorts of laws get passed by ballot initiatives? Watch the following video to learn about ballot initiatives from the 2024 election. What common themes do you notice? Why do you think these laws weren't passed through legislators?
You can also find out more about ballot initiatives in your own state (if your state has them) from Ballotpedia. What ballot proposal from a different state do you think would make a good proposal for your own state?
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