Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service
Ballot measures have proven themselves to be a powerful way for voters to make decisions about improving their health, from abortion rights and paid sick leave, to minimum wage and clean water access.
It is no coincidence that efforts to restrict ballot measure access are increasing at the same time that advances for equity are passing at the ballot box. Seventy-five bills were introduced in state legislatures in 2023 to change the rules and make the ballot measure process harder for voters to use to make progress on the issues they care about. So far in 2024, there have been 103 bills attacking the ballot measure process, and we expect more bills to come in the next year.
Avenel Joseph, Interim Executive Vice President, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said the referendum bill can change people’s health and well-being. Over the past five-plus years, ballot measures have been critical in advancing policies such as Medicaid expansion, raising the minimum wage, abortion access and paid leave.
Ethnic minorities and disadvantaged groups are often the biggest beneficiaries. To build a future of good health for everyone, regardless of race, gender or where they live, we must protect and invest in the referendum bill process,” she said.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will fund and invest in four strategies to protect the referendum bill regardless of the political environment, including: supporting and convening national and state organizations for non-lobbying advocacy, mobilization, public education, Justice and research efforts; raise awareness of the link between the vote measurement process and health and well-being; explore opportunities to aggressively expand the referendum bill process in more states; engage and mobilize new philanthropic partners.
Also Read:Â Why Voting in Local Elections Matters?
Thank You For Your Vote!
Sorry You have Already Voted!
