Electing a president is not the only high-stakes choice voters will make in November. In Ohio, citizens will vote on a constitutional amendment that would end gerrymandering. Voters in 10 states have the opportunity to amend their state constitutions to affirm or expand protections for abortion care. Three states will decide whether to remove language against same-sex marriage from their state constitutions.
All states but Delaware require voters to approve proposed amendments to state constitutions. Half of all states have a constitutional right to direct democracy, allowing citizens to place statutory or constitutional proposals on the ballot and pass them by popular vote. But some lawmakers and other elected officials are making a concerted effort to reduce citizens’ power to enact policy through ballot initiatives.
On Tuesday, October 29, at 3 p.m. ET, join the Brennan Center and State Court Report to learn more about the role these initiatives can play in the democracy movement. Journalist Amanda Becker, economist and political scientist John Matsusaka, and Brennan Center lawyer and researcher Alice Clapman are all experts on citizen-led movements to protect and expand rights. Along with moderator Alicia Bannon of the Brennan Center and State Court Report, they will discuss the issues on state ballots in the 2024 election and trends to watch out for.
Produced in partnership with State Court Report
Speakers:
- Amanda Becker, Washington Correspondent, The 19th; Author, You Must Stand Up: The Fight for Abortion Rights in Post-Dobbs America
- Alice Clapman, Senior Counsel, Brennan Center Democracy Program
- John Matsusaka, Charles F. Sexton Chair in American Enterprise, Professor of Finance and Business Economics, Executive Director of Initiative and Referendum Institute, USC Marshall School of Business
- Moderator: Alicia Bannon, Director, Brennan Center Judiciary Program; Editor in Chief, State Court Report
