2012 ballot measures

[greenforest32]

I think a thread for all the 2012 state ballot measures would be interesting.

There's lots of issues this year, everything from legalizing marijuana to redistricting in Ohio/Maryland to Massachusetts becoming the third state to legalize physician assisted suicide to California abolishing the death penalty to several same-sex marriage initiatives and the usual spending/tax measures.

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/2012_ballot_measures

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The states without initiatives or veto referendums can still have measures referred to the ballot by the state legislature I believe (Minnesota, Georgia, etc).

Also it's not a statewide measure, but lol: http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Los_Angeles_Porn_Actors_Required_to_Wear_Condoms_Act_%28November_2012%29

[greenforest32]

Also it's not a statewide measure, but lol: http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Los_Angeles_Porn_Actors_Required_to_Wear_Condoms_Act_%28November_2012%29

I hope that's a "lol" in support because it's pretty sad to still see bareback porn in 2012.

I just thought it was funny people will be voting on such an issue. I can see the arguments for mandating it (health concerns and such) but honestly I would probably vote no on the measure if I lived there. If consenting adults want to go at it without condoms, go ahead. Enforcing that kind of mandate seems like a tricky issue too.

[greenforest32]

Yeah testing can be thrown off if someone lies (or is unaware). How is this handled in countries where prostitution is legal? I've heard of mandatory testing and licensing but this is the first time I've heard of this.

[greenforest32]

I think the marijuana legalization initiative in Oregon is going to fail.

This just doesn't strike me as a winning campaign: http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-19599-mari_wanna.html

[greenforest32]

The assisted-suicide initiative in Massachusetts looks likely to pass: http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/a-new-battleground-in-right-to-die-debate-85899416520

Oh and another one of those terrible 2/3 legislative supermajority requirements for tax increases measures has made the ballot, now in Michigan: http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Michigan_Taxation_Amendment_%282012%29

Those always poll well and give Republicans disproportionate leverage (see California) once implemented. I don't think the PPACA would have passed in the 111th session if Congress had such a requirement, unless reconciliation could override it.

These requirements are limited to a minority of states but I think we'll see more measures coming: http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/budget/legislative-supermajority-to-raise-taxes%E2%80%942008.aspx

[greenforest32]

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I believe this is the final total number of measures:

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How I voted on the Oregon measures (the first two were legislative referrals and the rest were initiatives): http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Oregon_2012_ballot_measures

Measure 77 ('grants Governor constitutional authority to declare and (financially) respond to natural or human‐caused "catastrophic disaster" (defined)') - Yes
Measure 78 (fixes typos in state constitution like three 'departments' of government ---> three 'branches') - Yes
Measure 79 (constitutionally bans new real estate transfer taxes) - No
Measure 80 (legalizes possession, distribution, and production of marijuana and hemp) - Yes
Measure 81 (a specific fishing ban that backers stopped campaigning for after they reached an agreement with the Governor through a state executive agency) - No
Measure 82 (amends state constitution to allow private casinos) - No
Measure 83 (authorizes a specific private casino in Multnomah county) - No
Measure 84 (abolishes state estate/inheritance tax & bans taxes on property transfers between family members) - No
Measure 85 (abolishes the corporate kicker) - Yes

[greenforest32]

Not all returns are in but:

Redistricting measures:
Ohio commission fails 37-63
Maryland House map passes 64-37
(Existing) California State Senate map passes 72-28

Gay marriage initiatives:
Maine passes 53-47
Maryland passes 52-48
Washington passing at 52-48
Minnesota ban fails at 48-52

Marijuana initiatives:
Colorado (legalization) passes 55-45
Washington (legalization) passes 55-45
Oregon (legalization) fails 45-54 ( )
Massachusetts (medical) passes 64-37
Arkansas (medical) fails 49-51
Montana (repeals existing medical program and establishes a new more restrictive one) passes 57-43

Legislative supermajority requirement for tax increases:
Washington passes 65-36
Michigan fails 31-69

California death penalty repeal failing 47-53

Massachusetts physician-assisted suicide failing 49-51

[greenforest32]

New Hampshire has constitutionally banned an income tax: http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/New_Hampshire_Income_Tax_Amendment,_CACR_13_%282012%29

The state's Tax Pledge* probably contributed to the push.

* http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/tax-pledge-permeates-new-hampshire-politics-85899425483

Edit: actually wait I'm wrong on this. Constitutional amendments need 2/3 supermajority approval in NH so it's actually failing at 57% approve: http://www.nhpr.org/post/all-three-nh-ballot-measures-appear-fail

[greenforest32]

So happy that the MI electorate overwhelmingly defeated Prop 5 (the 2/3rds majority for tax increases thing) 69-31. It restored a bit of my confidence in my state.

The whole dynamic on the Michigan measures (vote them all down!) probably helped but it's interesting that it failed. At least Washington's is statutory and has been declared unconstitutional (probably will be again).

Oregon's 3/5 requirement passed with 5x% back in the 1990s and it's been a pain in the ass since. It will probably rear its head again in the legislative session here regarding the ACA's Medicaid expansion since Democrats didn't win a 3/5 supermajority in either chamber of the OR legislature.

On that note, Democrats in California have finally overcome Prop 13's 2/3 requirement since they won a 2/3 supermajority this week. That 1/3+1 block has been the lifeblood of California GOP. They're probably hoping they won't have to moderate since they could potentially take away the Democrats' 2/3 supermajority by winning a few seats in the 2014 midterms due to lower voter turnout but they'll have to deal with 2016 and a higher turnout from an upcoming election-day registration bill. Interesting to watch, not that it really matters much for them at the end of the day. Too little, too late.