DIRECT DEMOCRACY WATCH 2016 edition

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2015 is a bit of a bum year for ballot initiatives. Other than a deeply weird WEEDGALISATION Bill in Ohio, a bipartisan redistricting commission in the same state (which failed in '12) and Colorado pissing around with its wacky tobaccy tax, there's nothing very interesting save for standard ballot fare (bonds, little jilts to sales taxes, and some fixes to centuries old constitutions only on the ballot as a formality).

But what about 16? Here's some fun stuff that may be on the ballot or not..

The Mariguahana - weed certainly knows how to play the ballot game. Nevada's marijuana legalisation is already on the ballot, but signatures are collecting in Arkansas, Florida, Maine, Mass, Michigan, Mississippi,  Missouri, Montana (all the "m"'s?) and Wyoming, as well as approximately seven million proposed cannabis initiatives filed in California and a flurry of medical marijuana proposals. Coupled with Biebertrudeau's probable win up north and it is very likely North America is about to get pretty dank.

Death Penalty - Nebraska has collected enough to put the legislative repeal of the death penalty on the ballot, and Oklahoma has already got a pro-capital punishment constitutional amendment on the '16 ballot. Conversely California may put death penalty repeal on its ballot, following a narrow defeat in '12.

Guns - the only thing certain is that Nevada will have mandatory background checks on its ballot. Beyond that nobody really knows - although Lt Gov Gavin Newsom of California is using all his clout to put some pretty stringent gun regs on his state's ballot to get past the relatively gun-friendly veto pen of Brown.

Agriculture- very niche issue, but North Dakota has a proposal to allow corporations to own swine or dairy farms on the ballot. The current ban is testament to the state's uniquely radical history, so should be an intriguing test on how the state has changed.

Elections - we're seeing a flow of populist anti-citizens United stuff, in addition to classic voter ID bills, but perhaps most interesting is Maine's IRV Bill, which will very much probably be on the ballot. Another oddity is an attempt to move kentucky's election cycle to run concurrently with the Presidentiak elections, which is being pushed for by GOP legislators.

LGBT - nothing as anticipated as the four SSM ballots in 2012, due to Supreme Court and all; but Alaska may repeal its now useless anti-gay marriage ban for good measure, and we may see a repeat of Prop 8 in California, but aimed at transgendered people this time.

Taxes - there's a well-funded attempt to raise the non-wacky tobacky tax in California by Steyer and people. Gov LePage in Maine wants to something vague and right-wing on the ballot. Climate groups are gunning for a carbon tax in Washington State and as expected there are numerous anti-tax proposals filed everywhere by TP groups.

Energy - the Florida solar industry, greens and the tea party (!) are backing a right to produce and sell solar energy initiative down there which has inspired some comment. Oregon has a high-profile initiate filed to ban coal being used in its grid.

Minimum Wage - we see the result of various pushes for 15 dollar minimum wages. Some union leadership seems to be pushing for compromises like a 13.5 imitative in Oregon and 12 in Maine. Apparently unions are going to push this all over the country, as they are very popular. However the only related ballot qualified atm actually reduces the youth min wage (thanks South Dakota)

Indiana may see a balanced budget amendment. And there are happily surreal proposals being proposed up and down the country, which is always good.

[VPH]

This sounds like an exciting year for ballot props.

[YaBoyNY]

Maybe New York will get something more interesting than "lol casinos? yes, no?"

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The Maine GOP, and its sprawling initiative aimed to emanating much welfare and the income tax, encounters its worst enemy: logistics!!!

In Florida, the solar war is stepping up. two opposing ballots are being thrown at each other.

And in Califonia, the Gun control initiative is taking shape:

Newsom’s initiative proposes five new restrictions to gun and ammunition ownership:

Magazines with a capacity for 11 or more rounds must be taken out of state, sold to a licensed firearms dealer, or given to law enforcement that will subsequently destroy the magazines.
People in California will be required to report any lost or stolen firearms to local law enforcement.
When a person is added to the database of people prohibited from purchasing or owning a firearm, the California Department of Justice will be required to inform the federal instant criminal background check system.
A new process will be developed for felons and others prohibited from owning firearms to give up their guns.
Background checks will have to be done at point-of-sale for ammunition. Also, those selling ammunition will need an additional license to do so.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

15 dollar minimum wage in Califonnia is being ramped up, with organisers claiming they have the needed signatures.

Meanwhile, Colorado may have single-payer healthcare on the ballot

http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20151020/NEWS01/151029982/-1/s/Single-payer-backers-go-for-ballot-measure-

[rob in cal]

    The Kentucky proposal to change their election calendar to coincide with even year elections is a very bad development for election junkies on this board, as it would mean less elections in otherwise politically down times, like now.

[Gass3268]

Support for Marijuana Legalization back up to 58%

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Mainijuana news: by our powers combined!

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High profile Eco-activism in the Pacific Northwest

And Flag Wars down Deep South:

http://djournal.com/news/bryant-wants-flag-vote-on-2016-ballot/

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Mandatory condoms for porn actors makes the California ballot, as does a proposition requiring all large public works bonds be voted on via initiative.

[Tender Branson]

Reading the "Economist's" Christmas Edition, I only found out now that Nebraska will vote in the GE next year to re-introduce the death penalty - after abolishing it this year.

Sadly, I think the voters there will easily vote to re-introduce it (something like 65-35 in favour).

It's a shame this is even allowed to be voted on, after the repeal was passed by state parliament and the Governor's veto overridden with a 2/3 majority ...

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

South Dakota will have nonpartisan redistricting on its ballot.

The pro-solar Florida initiative seems to have failed, and an anti-trams California ballot has failed to make an appearance .

Washington has two rival carbon taxes collecting sigs, one revenue neutral and one not.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

http://mynewsla.com/government/2015/12/31/president-of-california-marijuana-wont-be-on-november-ballot/

Let's have a moment of silence for failed California ballots, like the attempt to rename Governor as president and multiply the legislature by 100 times.

[Virginiá]

Another oddity is an attempt to move kentucky's election cycle to run concurrently with the Presidentiak elections, which is being pushed for by GOP legislators.

I didn't know they were pushing this. But it makes sense for the GOP to do that, assuming they want maybe gubernatorial elections on presidential election years? If so, they are probably hoping that they will completely take over the state due to people voting Republican for president and thus Republican all the way down ticket. As it stands now, Kentucky folk were voting red for Senators/US House Reps/President, but heavy Democratic for most other races (except state Senate). If there is little ticket splitting, then it will result in a powerful Republican stranglehold on Kentucky public offices.

Were this true, it would be a funny flip from conventional wisdom where Republicans have been trying to reduce the number of voters in other states (as they tend to do better when less people vote). Bizzaro world in KY.

[Simfan34]

California continues down its path of slowly ballot initiative-ing itself to death. Did you know Texas has more wind power capacity (15 GW) than California, and is, in all honesty, further ahead in building high speed rail? Amazing, the things a conservative state can do when it wants, and the things California  can't! At least, I know the State of California considers my couch a potential hazard to my health and knows my pillow to be flammable?!

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Let's see what's going on in the crazy world of direct democracy:

* Jerry Brown wants a criminal justice reform measure on the ballot and was briefly delayed by courts
* a crazy guy  in California has filed a pretty funny ballot to make legislators wear the symbols of their donors, and is taking it surprisingly seriously
* the pro-solar bill and medical MJ will be on the ballot in Florida
* South Dakota will vote on whether to establish nonpartisan elections (for state and federal offices)
* Maine will vote on background checks and possibly marijuana

[Virginiá]

* the pro-solar bill and medical MJ will be on the ballot in Florida

Sadly, I believe this is the "pro-solar" initiative pushed by the utilities racket here so as to prevent an even better (for consumers) initiative from getting passed. I guess they figured there was no way to stop Solar entirely, so they co-opted the effort and got their weaker version in place.

I hate my state.

* Maine will vote on background checks and possibly marijuana

This looks set to get on the ballot last I checked. The two competing teams settled their differences awhile ago and I believe one already had enough signatures, in which case further effort is simply a matter to create a buffer in case of invalid signatures.

Massachusetts had the same issue, but theirs also looks set to be put before voters this November as well.

Going to be a good year for legalization. This could be where it all changes for good

[DINGO Joe]

California continues down its path of slowly ballot initiative-ing itself to death. Did you know Texas has more wind power capacity (15 GW) than California, and is, in all honesty, further ahead in building high speed rail? Amazing, the things a conservative state can do when it wants, and the things California  can't! At least, I know the State of California considers my couch a potential hazard to my health and knows my pillow to be flammable?!

Well Iowa and Oklahoma have also passed California in wind generation. Kansas, Minnesota and Illinois are pretty close too.  It was kind of foretold by the musical "Oklahoma".  California, correctly, pivoted hard towards solar and produces about 40X what Texas does.  Why Texas has embraced wind but not solar is a little curious given that there's certainly prime locations for utility scale solar, probably in part to the NG lobby being more powerful than the coal lobby. 

[Frodo]

It's safe to say that voters in Mississippi will keep the state flag.

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Why are all state flags so lousy? Like, I could count the decent ones on one hand (south Carolina, maryland, Arizona, the back of Oregon and California.

[This account no longer in use.]

Why are all state flags so lousy? Like, I could count the decent ones on one hand (south Carolina, maryland, Arizona, the back of Oregon and California.

Nobody puts in any effort.

[DINGO Joe]

This is the Louisiana state flag.  The State bird is the Brown Pelican.  What makes the Brown Pelican a badass is that it actually does the dive bomber thing to feed. No other North American Pelicans do this.   I could sit on the bench along the Mississippi and watch them do that all day.  The bird on this flag is not a Brown Pelican.  Total Flag Fail.

[pikachu]

While not a state, Los Angeles County does have a bigger population than about 40 states, and the city itself is larger than about 20, so I think it could be interesting to talk about some local ballot initiatives here.

First, there are two different development related initiatives. One of them is to force developers to build affordable housing in developments of a certain size and hire local workers, while the second would essentially stop development that would lead to greater density for two years, though that might be moved to 2016. The LAMTA is also proposing a 1/2 cent sales tax increase to fund improvements to the transportation system. This being California, a 2/3 majority is needed, but a similar measure was passed in 2008 and another similar measure was barely defeated in 2012.

[Holmes]

This is the Louisiana state flag.  The State bird is the Brown Pelican.  What makes the Brown Pelican a badass is that it actually does the dive bomber thing to feed. No other North American Pelicans do this.   I could sit on the bench along the Mississippi and watch them do that all day.  The bird on this flag is not a Brown Pelican.  Total Flag Fail.

Obviously the people of Louisiana would prefer a white bird represent them, rather than a colored one.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Where can I find info on which measures are approved for the state ballots?  All I can find for Michigan is the ones that are circulating or have been circulated.