The John Lilburne Award
From Ballotpedia
The John Lilburne Award is given monthly by Citizens in Charge Foundation to recognize a person or persons working to protect the First Amendment rights of Americans to petition their government. The award is named for John Lilburne, the 17th Century English pamphleteer, political activist, and champion of individual rights, who advocated constitutional government and pioneered the use of petitioning and referenda for redress against government power and abuse.
John Lilburne Award Winners
- August 2009 - John Fund
John Fund is being recognized this month for his continued support and defense of the initiative and referendum process. He recently spoke at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Annual Meeting where he underscored the value of the process. He also recently published an article in the Wall Street Journal defending California’s initiative process from increasing attacks. READ MORE
- July 2009 - Senator Vicki Walker
Oregon State Senator Vicki Walker being recognized as the only Senate Democrat to defend Oregon voters in an attempt to stop legislation that criminalizes activists expressing their freedom of speech via the ballot initiative process. READ MORE
- June 2009 - Senator Terry Care
Nevada State Senator Terry Care is being recognized for standing up for the rights of Nevada voters. His courageous lone vote against an oppressive state Senate bill aimed at stifling the ballot initiative process demonstrates his strong commitment.... READ MORE
- May 2009 - Brad Ashwell
Brad Ashwell Legislative Advocate for the Florida Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), has been named as the May 2009 recipient of the John Lilburne Award. He is being honored for his work in defeating anti-initiative legislation and defending the rights of Florida voters. READ MORE
- April 2009 - Linda Curtis
Linda Curtis, Executive Director and Founder of Independent Texans, has been honored as the April 2009 recipient of the John Lilburne Award for her work to expand and protect the rights of Texas citizens to petition their government and voice their opinions. Texas currently is one of 26 states that does not have a statewide initiative and referendum (I&R) process. I&R does exist at the local level in Texas. READ MORE
- March 2009 - Senator Randy Brogdon & Representative Randy Terrill
Oklahoma State Senator Randy Brogdon and Oklahoma State Representative Randy Terrill have been named the March 2009 recipients of the John Lilburne Award by Citizens in Charge Foudnaiton. Both Oklahoma legislators are being recognized for their legislative efforts to facilitate citizen use of the state initiative and referendum process. Currently Oklahoma has some of the most restrictive initiative and referendum laws in the nation. READ MORE
- February 2009 - Delegate Harvey B. Morgan
Citizens in Charge Foundation has named Virginia Delegate Harvey B. Morgan as the February “Lilburne Award” winner. Morgan is honored for his work to preserve the rights of Virginia citizens to petition their government and voice their opinions, unafraid of repercussions. READ MORE
- January 2009 - Paul Weyrich
Paul Weyrich received the Lilburne award posthumously for his lifelong commitment to the initiative and referendum process. Weyrich was a major proponent of the ballot initiative and referendum process and prominent leader of the conservative movement. He died in December 2008. Weyrich believed in the use of ballot initiatives and referenda as mechanisms of popular democracy that help in cutting corruption in politics… READ MORE
- December 2008 - Robert Corry
Corry is honored for his work to defeat Colorado Referendum O, a measure placed on the ballot by the Colorado general assembly which would have effectively gutted Colorado’s initiative process increasing the number of signatures required to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot, required signatures meet a geographical distribution, and reduced the time period that initiative proponents have to circulate petitions … READ MORE
- November 2008 - Eric Ehst
Ehst is honored for his work to defeat Proposition 105, which would have severely hampered Arizona’s initiative process by requiring a virtually impossible majority of all registered voters, not just those actually voting, to pass any initiative that would raise a tax or fee or that mandated any spending at all. Voters clobbered Proposition 105 on November 4 by a margin of 66 to 34 percent … READ MORE
