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Berkeley, California, Measure P, Citizens United Advisory Measure (November 2014)

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City of Berkeley County Citizens United Referendum
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Type:Referendum
Referred by:County Commission
Topic:Definition of a corporation
Status:On ballot


A City of Berkeley Citizens United Advisory Referendum: "Corporations are not People, Money is not Speech," Measure P ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in the city of Berkeley in Alameda County, California. It was approved.

This measure was part of a nationwide movement to put pressure on the federal government through local advisory votes to amend the U.S. Constitution to explicitly remove the rights of persons from corporations or organizations and to exclude spending - especially campaign spending - from the guaranteed right to free speech. Measure P showed that a majority of Berkeley voters approved of such a constitutional amendment.[1]

Election results

Measure P
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 30,703 84.67%
No5,55915.33%

Election results via: Alameda County Elections Office

Background

In a 2010, landmark 5-4 decision called Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court created the precedent that corporations do, in fact, enjoy the rights of persons and that the spending of money in political campaigns is protected by the right of free speech.

Text of measure

Ballot question

The question on the ballot:[1]

“

Should the United States Constitution be amended to abolish the legal concept that corporations can be considered persons for purposes of the First Amendment, and the doctrine that the expenditure of money may be treated as speech?[2]

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of Measure P was provided by the office of the city attorney:[1]

“

The proposed measure, if adopted, would call for an amendment to United States Constitution to abolish the legal concept that corporations can be considered persons that are entitled to constitutional rights, and the doctrine that the expenditure of money may be treated as speech.

This proposed ordinance was placed on the ballot by the City Council.[2]

”
—Zach Cowan, Berkeley City Attorney

Related measures

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Alameda County Elections Office, "Ballot Measure information document," archived August 15, 2014
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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