PRIMARIES &BALLOT MEASURES

Elections & Campaigns Unit

So how’d we get to Romney vs. Obama anyway?

Primary

Most states choose their candidate through a primary

Opened up elections to being more “democratic”

If me, and a few hundred thousand of my buddies think something should be a law, can we make this happen or what?

Initiative

Allows citizens to propose or initiate a statute or constitutional amendment Once enough signatures are gathered on

petitions, the law is usually stayed, or stopped from going into effect, until the voters have decided the question

Wyoming is the only state where a law passed by the legislature is not stayed when petition signatures mandate a referendum.

What if the legislature are too lame to pass a controversial law? Can I get in on that?

Referendum

Allows citizens to refer a statute passed by the legislature to the ballot so that voters can enact or repeal the measure

Every state allows the legislature to place a measure on the ballot

States With I & R Measureshttp://www.iandrinstitute.org/statewide_i&r.htm

What if my elected official totally sucks?

Recall

A procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended 2012 Successful Recalls

2012 recall of Bob Ryan, Mayor of Sheboygan, WI 2012 recall of Wisconsin State Senator Van H.

Wanggaard 2012 Unsuccessful Recalls

2012 recall of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker