State Ballot Measure Monthly: November 2020
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By Ballot Measures Project staff
This edition of the State Ballot Measure Monthly covers notable Nov. 3 ballot measure election results and the certification of a statewide measure for the Dec. 5 ballot in Louisiana. The Dec. 5 measure in Louisiana brings the 2020 statewide ballot measure total to 129 in 34 states.
HIGHLIGHTS
2020 certifications
One measure was certified for the Dec. 5 ballot in Louisiana since the last edition of the State Ballot Measure Monthly.
October 21:
- Louisiana Amendment 1, Allow for Out-of-State Members to the University Board of Supervisors Amendment (December 2020) - This amendment would allow the governor to appoint at-large members to the boards of supervisors for the public university systems who are not state residents if there are multiple at-large seats and a state resident fills at least one at-large seat. The Louisiana Legislature voted unanimously to refer this amendment to the ballot, with the final vote taking place on Oct. 21.
Nov. 3 ballot measure election results
- See also: 2020 ballot measure election results
Voters in 32 states decided 120 statewide ballot measures on Nov. 3. As of Nov. 17, Ballotpedia has called 85 as approved and 30 as defeated. The remaining five were too close to call. Below is a selection of highlighted results. Click here to see all ballot measure results from Nov. 3.
- Elections policy: Eighteen measures in 14 states concern election policy, including campaign finance, election dates, election systems, redistricting, suffrage, and term limits. These measures include two ranked-choice voting measures in Alaska and Massachusetts and a top-two open primaries measure in Florida.
- The Alaska ranked-choice voting measure was approved 50.4% to 49.6%. The measure also established the nation's first top-four primary system at the state level in the U.S.
- The Massachusetts ranked-choice voting measure failed 45.08% to 54.92%.
- The Florida top-two open primary initiative required a 60% supermajority vote to pass. It failed by 57.0% to 43.0%.
- Voters in Alabama, Colorado, and Florida approved constitutional amendments stating that only a U.S. citizen who is 18 years of age or older can vote. All three state constitutions previously said that every citizen of the U.S. who is 18 years of age or older can vote.
- Marijuana: Four states approved recreational marijuana legalization measures, and two states approved medical marijuana initiatives.
- Arizona, Montana, and South Dakota were the first states to approve recreational marijuana legalization that had also voted for the Republican presidential nominee from 2000 through 2016.
- New Jersey voters approved the first-ever legislatively referred (rather than citizen-initiated) recreational legalization ballot measure.
- South Dakota was the first state to vote on and approve both a recreational and medical marijuana initiative at the same election.
- Psilocybin mushroom and drug crime measures were approved in Oregon and D.C.
- Oregon became the first state to approve a ballot initiative, Measure 109, that legalizes psilocybin. Washington, D.C., voters also approved a measure related to psilocybin and other entheogenic plants and fungi. Currently, psilocybin, which is derived from certain species of fungi, is listed as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act.
- In Oregon, Measure 109 creates a program for administering psilocybin, such as psilocybin-producing mushrooms and fungi, to individuals aged 21 years or older. People will be allowed to purchase, possess, and consume psilocybin at a psilocybin service center and under the supervision of a psilocybin service facilitator after undergoing a preparation session
- Washington, D.C. voters approved a ballot measure, Initiative 81, which says that police shall treat the non-commercial cultivation, distribution, possession, and use of entheogenic plants and fungi among the lowest law enforcement priorities. Initiative 81 also defined entheogenic plants and fungi as species of plants and fungi that contain ibogaine, dimethyltryptamine, mescaline, psilocybin, or psilocyn.
- Oregon voters also approved Measure 110 by a vote of 58.5% to 41.5%. It makes personal non-commercial possession of a controlled substance no more than a Class E violation (max fine of $100 fine). It also establishes a drug addiction treatment and recovery program. A portion of the state's marijuana tax revenue and state prison savings will help fund the program.
- Voters approved California Proposition 22 58.6% to 41.4%. The initiative defines app-based transportation (rideshare) and delivery drivers as independent contractors and adopts labor and wage policies specific to app-based drivers and companies. The measure was the most expensive in California since at least 1999, due largely to Uber, DoorDash, Lyft, InstaCart, and Postmates contributing $203 million to the support campaign. Below are some notable reactions to 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."[1]
- DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said, "Now we're looking ahead and across the country, ready to champion new benefits structures that are portable, proportional and flexible."[2]
- Anthony Foxx, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation (2013-2017) and Chief Policy Officer for Lyft, said, "I think Prop 22 has now created a structure for us to discuss with leaders in other states and Washington, potentially. We think that prop 22 has now created a model that can be replicated and can be scaled."[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]
Click here to read more about these highlighted topics and measures.
Uncalled races
As of Nov. 17, the following measures were still too close to call:
- Alabama Amendment 2, Judicial System Restructuring Measure (2020)
- Colorado Amendment C, Charitable Bingo and Raffles Amendment (2020)
- Colorado Proposition 114, Gray Wolf Reintroduction Initiative (2020)
- Colorado Proposition 117, Require Voter Approval of Certain New Enterprises Exempt from TABOR Initiative (2020)
- Montana LR-130, Limit Local Government Authority to Regulate Firearms Measure (2020)
See also
- 2020 ballot measures
- List of ballot measures by state
- List of ballot measures by year
- Ballot Measure Scorecard, 2020
- Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2020
Related articles
Footnotes
- ↑ TechCrunch, "After Prop 22’s passage, Uber is taking its lobbying effort global," November 5, 2020
- ↑ Vice, "Uber Wants to Expand Its Anti-Worker Proposition 22 Beyond California," November 9, 2020
- ↑ The Washington Post, "California voters sided with Uber, denying drivers benefits by classifying them as contractors," November 4, 2020
- ↑ New York Times, "Other States Should Worry About What Happened in California," November 6, 2020
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