Voters Face Ballot Measures on Contraception, ‘Personhood,’ Voting Rights, Sharia Law
Voters across the country will go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to accept or reject 146 ballot measures, many revolving around polarizing issues that have yet to be addressed on the national level, and some representing the political priorities of far-right legislators in deep-red states.
Voters across the country will go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to accept or reject 146 ballot measures, many revolving around polarizing issues that have yet to be addressed on the national level, and some representing the political priorities of far-right legislators in deep-red states.
Some ballot measures create amendments to the state’s constitution, and some offer non-binding advice to state lawmakers. Some were placed on the ballot through legislative action, and some are up for consideration because of a citizen-lead petition process.
The ballot initiatives cover everything from reproductive rights to how states fund education, from increasing the minimum wage to changes in the way states approach redistricting.
Voters in Colorado, North Dakota, and Tennessee will decide ballot measures that would restrict reproductive rights. Voters in Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, and South Dakota will decide ballot measures to increase those states’ minimum wage.
Here’s a summary of other ballot measures that will be decided on Election Day:
- Alabama Amendment 1: Lawmakers placed a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would prohibit state courts from considering laws that violate Alabama public policy or the “rights guaranteed natural citizens by the United States and Alabama Constitutions.” Essentially the amendment is intended to ban Sharia law, a favorite target of far-right politicians, conservative pundits, and the religious right. The Alabama Christian Coalition and Greater Birmingham Ministries have spoken out against the amendment.
- Arizona Proposition 122: A constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by Arizona lawmakers would allow the state to exercise its “sovereign authority” by restricting employees of the state or local governments to activities that are “consistent for the Constitution.” Specifically, Arizona lawmakers want to prevent the implementation of federal regulations they disapprove of, including the Affordable Care Act. Arizona millionaire Jack Biltis is the primary funder of the Yes for Common Sense campaign supporting the measure, and leaders from the Arizona branch of the Koch brother-funded group Americans for Prosperity are supporting the measure.
- Illinois Right to Vote Amendment: Voting rights protections are on the ballot in Illinois, as state lawmakers added a constitutional amendment to the ballot that would prohibit laws that affects the ability of residents to “register to vote or cast a ballot based on the voter’s race, color, ethnicity, status as a member of a language minority, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or income.” Only five lawmakers out of 166 voted against the bill in the state legislature. If passed, it would stand in stark contrast to efforts by Republican-controlled state legislatures to restrict voting rights.
- Illinois Birth Control Question: Illinois voters will voice their opinion on whether state lawmakers should pass legislation that would require health insurance plans in the state that provide prescription drug coverage “to include prescription birth control as part of that coverage.” The ballot question is a response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hobby Lobby, the the legal battles over the birth control benefit. In August the state expanded access to birth control for low-income women as Republicans in states nationwide continue a coordinated assault on birth control access. The Save Birth Control in Illinois campaign has raised more than $500,000 in support of the measure, mostly from the pro-choice Personal PAC.
- Massachusetts Question 4: The Massachusetts Paid Sick Days Initiative was placed on the ballot after supporters submitted a petition that included more than 96,000 signatures. The measure would allow employees who work for employers with 11 or more employees to earn and use up to 40 hours of paid sick time per year. Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of labor and progressive organizations, has spent more than $500,000 supporting the measure. The Chamber of Commerce and other business interests are behind the Vote NO on 4 campaign. The latest Suffolk University/Boston Herald poll shows voters are split on the question, with 47.6 percent in favor, 43.4 percent opposed, and 9 percent undecided.
- North Dakota Measure 6: The North Dakota “personhood” amendment has gotten most of the media attention, but another ballot measure has gone barely noticed. Measure 6 would create a legal presumption that each parent of a child in a custody case is fit to parent, unless “clear and convincing evidence” demonstrates otherwise. Referred to by supporters as the Father’s Rights Initiative, the North Dakota Shared Parenting for Kids campaign leads the campaign supporting Measure 6. The Keeping Kids First campaign opposes the measure because of its “one-size-fits-all” approach and vague language.
- Oregon Measure 89: The Oregon Equal Rights for Women Initiative would amend the state constitution to prevent discrimination “on account of sex.” The Vote Equal Rights Amendment for Women Committee has raised and spent more than $500,000 supporting the measure. The measure enjoys overwhelming support, as a 2013 poll found that 75 percent of those surveyed supported the amendment. However, it is not without its critics. The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, which supports a federal version of the initiative, called the measure “purely symbolic.”