This week's question was, What percentage of enacted legislation related to the initiative, referendum, and recall processes between 2018 and 2023 made those processes more difficult?

You answered: 13%
The correct answer is 21.7%.

On August 1, we published a multiyear analysis of state legislative bills and resolutions affecting the three powers of direct democracy in the U.S.—the ballot initiative, referendum, and recall election. The analysis showed a consistent trend: lawmakers are making it tougher for citizens to use and approve ballot measures.

Between 2018 and 2023, state legislators introduced a total of 1,787 pieces of legislation related to the initiative, referendum, and recall processes. Legislators passed 194 (10.9%) of those bills and resolutions.

Of these, 42 (21.7%) made the initiative, referendum, and recall processes more difficult–an average of seven per year.

By comparison, legislators passed 13 bills or resolutions (6.7%) to make the processes less difficult between 2018 and 2023–an average of two per year.

From 2018 to 2023, South Dakota passed the most pieces of legislation (10) that made or would make the ballot initiative process more difficult. The other states that passed more than two such bills were Arizona (6), Arkansas (5), and Florida (5).

The states that have passed the most bills or resolutions making the process easier are Maine and Oregon, each with two pieces of legislation.

Click here to read the report!

Thanks for your response!