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Ballot measure records and firsts in 2020
2020 was a unique year in many ways, including in the realm of politics and for ballot measures specifically. Here are 12 ballot measure-related things Ballotpedia noticed in 2020 that have either never happened before or haven’t happened in a very long time.
- Click here to see an overview, notable topics and trends, and election results for 2020 ballot measures.
1. Campaign finance records
- See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2020
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Four 2020 measures set campaign finance records in four states and nationwide. More than $1.20 billion was contributed to campaigns in support of and opposition to statewide ballot measures in 2020 even though the 129 statewide measures on the ballot were the lowest number since at least 1980. Total ballot measure campaign contributions were higher than in 2016 ($1.01 billion) and 2018 ($1.19 billion) in which there were 163 and 167 measures respectively.
- The support committees for California Proposition 22 raised $203 million, with Uber, DoorDash, Lyft, InstaCart, and Postmates providing the majority of funding. Combined with the $20 million raised in opposition, this made Proposition 22 the most expensive measure in California since at least 1999, before which data isn't available. Proposition 22 was approved 58.6% to 41.4%. It defined app-based transportation (rideshare) and delivery drivers as independent contractors and adopted labor and wage policies specific to app-based drivers and companies.
- A $121 million battle in Illinois mostly between Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Citadel CEO Kenneth C. Griffin made a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot to allow for a graduated income tax rate "easily the most expensive of its kind in state history," according to Tony Arnold of WBEZ. The support campaign raised $60.3 million with 94% from Gov. Pritzker. The opposition campaign raised $60.8 million with 88% from Griffin. Voters rejected the amendment 53.27% to 46.73%. The amendment was the third most expensive measure of 2020 and the most expensive outside of California.[1]
- Massachusetts Question 1 was also "the most expensive ballot initiative in Massachusetts history" according to the Boston Globe. The initiative was approved 75% to 25%. It requires manufacturers that sell vehicles with telematics systems in Massachusetts to equip them with a standard platform beginning with model year 2022 that vehicle owners and independent repair facilities may access to retrieve mechanical data and run diagnostics through a mobile-based application. Supporters raised $24.9 million, with the Coalition of Automotive Repair Equality, Auto Care Association, Auto Zone, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Advance Auto Parts, and Genuine Parts Company providing 84%. Opponents raised $26.6 million with General Motors, Toyota Motor North America, Inc, Ford Motor Company, American Honda Motor Co., Inc, and Nissan North America Inc providing 75%.[2]
- Alaska Ballot Measure 1 was also the most expensive measure Ballotpedia has seen in that state. The initiative was defeated 57.9% to 42.1%. It would have increased taxes on certain oil production fields. Supporters raised $1.5 million, with $1.2 million coming from Robin Brena, the chair of former Gov. Bill Walker's (I) Transition Subcommittee on Oil and Gas. Opponents raised $20.8 million, with 94% coming from ExxonMobil, Conoco Phillips, BP Exploration Alaska, Hilcorp Energy, and Hilcorp North Slope.
2. Gig economy policies
California Proposition 22 was not just unique from a campaign finance perspective. It was also the first time voters in any state decided a gig economy policy through a statewide ballot measure. Following the approval of Proposition 22, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said, "Going forward, you'll see us more loudly advocate for new laws like Prop 22." Khosrowshahi added that Uber hoped to "work with governments across the U.S. and the world to make this a reality."[3] Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor (1993-1997), said, "Prop 22 is great for employers, but it’s a huge loss for workers. This will encourage other companies to reclassify their work force as independent contractors, and once they do, over a century of labor protections vanishes overnight."[4]
3. Mushrooms and drug crime policy
- See also: Oregon Measure 109 and Measure 110
Oregon became the first state to legalize the use of psilocybin since voters approved Measure 109. The initiative created a program for administering psilocybin products, such as psilocybin-producing mushrooms and fungi, to individuals aged 21 years or older in approved psilocybin service centers under the supervision of a facilitator. Oregon voters also approved Measure 110, which made personal/non-commercial possession of all controlled substances no more than a Class E violation. It also established a drug addiction treatment and recovery program funded in part by the state's marijuana tax revenue and state prison savings.
4. Legislatively referred marijuana legalization
Marijuana legalization measures have appeared on statewide ballots every even-numbered year since 2010. They have all been put on the ballot through citizen initiative petitions. In 2020, the New Jersey Legislature was the first to refer a marijuana legalization measure to voters. Voters approved Question 1 67% to 33%.
5. State-run paid leave program
Colorado voters decided the first-ever statewide ballot measure proposing a state-run paid medical and family leave program. While eight other states have similar paid leave programs, Colorado Proposition 118 was the first time voters weighed in on the issue. This initiative provides 12 weeks (up to 16 weeks in certain cases) of paid leave for qualifying workers. A payroll tax starting at 0.9% of wages split evenly between employers and employees will fund the program.
6. First state to adopt top-four primaries
Alaska became the first state to adopt top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices. Voters approved Ballot Measure 2 50.55% to 49.45%. The measure replaced the state's partisan primaries with open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices. It also established ranked-choice voting for general elections, making Alaska the second state after Maine to enact ranked-choice voting for state-level elections. Ballot Measure 2 also enacted campaign finance restrictions.
7. $15 per hour minimum wage initiative
Florida Amendment 2 was the first time voters in any state have voted on a $15 per hour minimum wage. Voters approved Amendment 2 60.8% to 39.2%. In Massachusetts (2018) and California (2016), $15 per hour minimum wage initiatives qualified or nearly qualified for the ballot, but proponents withdrew them following compromises in the legislature resulting in $15 per hour minimum wage bills. Seven states have passed bills incrementally increasing their minimum wages to $15 per hour.
8. National popular vote interstate compact
Colorado was the first state in which voters decided whether the state should enter the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). Voters approved Proposition 113 52.3% to 47.7%. As part of the NPVIC, Colorado would give its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the most votes nationwide if the NPVIC goes into effect. It would only go into effect if states representing at least 270 electoral votes join the NPVIC. The 14 other NPVIC member states joined the compact through bills signed by Democratic governors or, in Hawaii's case, through an override of Republican Gov. Linda Lingle's veto.
Proposition 113 was also the first veto referendum in the state since 1932.
9. Electronic signature petition drives
Massachusetts Question 1 and Question 2 were the first statewide ballot initiatives to qualify for the ballot partially through electronic signatures. Four initiative campaigns filed a lawsuit against Massachusetts Secretary of Commonwealth William Galvin in April 2020 requesting the ability to collect signatures electronically based on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The campaigns and Galvin agreed to a settlement allowing electronic and remote signatures for the 13,347 signatures required in the second round of signature gathering.
Question 1, the "Right to Repair Law" Vehicle Data Access Requirement Initiative, was approved 75% to 25%. Question 2, the Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative, was defeated 45% to 55%.
When Question 2 qualified for the ballot, Cara Brown McCormick, a senior advisor to Voter Choice Massachusetts, said, “This was the first electronic signature drive to get a citizen’s initiative on the ballot in American history. Together we gathered signatures at a rate of one every two minutes for 40 days in a row, and were fortunate to be able to do the whole drive while keeping everyone safe.”[5]
10. Louisiana December measure
- See also: Louisiana 2020 ballot measures
The Louisiana State Legislature referred a constitutional amendment to the state's December 5 election. The measure was the first post-November statewide measure in Louisiana since at least 1974. The measure would have allowed the governor to appoint at-large members to the boards of supervisors for the public university systems from out-of-state, providing at least one at-large seat was filled by a member from within the state. Voters rejected the measure 76.5% to 23.5%.
11. Alabama local constitutional amendments on the statewide ballot according to 2016 process change
- See also: Alabama 2020 ballot measures
On November 3, Alabama voters statewide decided two constitutional amendments that only affected Franklin County and Lauderdale County. Amendment 5 and Amendment 6 were both approved and stated in the constitution that individuals have a right to stand their ground and may use deadly force in self-defense or in defense of another person within churches in Franklin County and Lauderdale County, respectively.
Constitutional amendments that affect only a certain jurisdiction but are voted on statewide are not new in Alabama. However, these two amendments were the first to be put on the statewide ballot according to a procedure for constitutional amendments of local application passed in 2016. In 2016, voters approved a change requiring a unanimous vote in both chambers of the state legislature on a resolution of local application for a constitutional amendment to appear on local ballots but not statewide. The resolutions of local application for Amendment 5 and Amendment 6 had one dissenter each in the House. In the Senate, there were two and zero two dissenters, respectively.
Before 2016, the state constitution required a three-fifths vote in each chamber of the legislature and unanimous approval by a constitutional amendment commission for an amendment to go on local ballots but not statewide ballots.
12. First ballot initiative to reintroduce wolves
Colorado was the first state in which voters decided a ballot initiative to reintroduce wolves. Voters approved Proposition 114 50.9% to 49.1%. Proposition 114 requires the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to create a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves on designated lands west of the continental divide by the end of 2023.
Alaska and Michigan voters have decided ballot measures concerning the regulation of wolf hunting, but not on the reintroduction of wolves. Previously, the federal government has directed wolf reintroduction projects in Yellowstone National Park, New Mexico, Arizona, and the Carolinas
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ WBEZ, "Illinois State Income Tax Overhaul Question Remains Undecided," November 4, 2020
- ↑ Boston Globe, "Amid auto industry battle, Question 1 is the most expensive ballot initiative in Mass. history," November 2, 2020
- ↑ TechCrunch, "After Prop 22’s passage, Uber is taking its lobbying effort global," November 5, 2020
- ↑ New York Times, "Other States Should Worry About What Happened in California," November 6, 2020
- ↑ Voter Choice Massachusetts, "Voter Choice for Massachusetts 2020 Submits Record-Setting Number of Signatures for Ranked Choice Voting Ballot Initiative," June 17, 2020
