This week's question was, including Louisiana, how many states will decide ballot measures on indentured servitude this year?

You answered: 8.
The correct answer was 5.

On June 1, Louisiana became the fifth state to place a measure regarding involuntary servitude on the ballot this year. The language, which voters will decide on November 8, would remove language from the state constitution allowing involuntary servitude as a punishment for a crime.

Louisiana has a divided government, with a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled legislature. Of the four other states deciding similar measures—Alabama, Oregon. Tennessee. and Vermont—one has a Democratic trifecta, two have Republican trifectas, and one has a divided government.

Currently, nine state constitutions include provisions permitting involuntary servitude, and 10 included provisions permitting slavery and involuntary servitude as criminal punishments. These provisions were added to state constitutions, in their original forms, between the 1850s and 1890s. The United States ratified the 13th Amendment prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude in 1865, except as punishment for crimes.

Thanks for your response!