Joe Mathews wants four changes to California's initiative system

October 20, 2009

LOS ANGELES, California: Joe Mathews, an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation and author of Blockbuster Democracy has argued in a column published in the Los Angeles Times that "California's system is deeply flawed."

He recommends four changes:

• "Make initiatives subject to the same rules as legislation."
• "Extend the same flexibility to constitutional revisions as constitutional amendments."
• Permit the Legislature more involvement with the initiative process.
• Make it easier for voters to overturn the Legislature through a more referendum-based direct democracy.

See also

• Criticisms of California's ballot initiative process
• Laws governing the initiative process in California
• California Chief Justice Ronald George condemns ballot initiatives